Sharp Left Turn
by Fyrebyrd
Summary: In an instant your life can take a sharp left turn. Can you find the strength to lose it all and gain the unknown? Lives will be shattered, including your own.
1. Road Work Ahead

**Disclaimer:** _ **I do not own the Twilight characters, but I did write this fic and I hope you will enjoy it for what it is. A fictional story.**_

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 **What can I say? I'm impatient!**

 **Okay, let's thank those that make this fic better. First is Fran for working her beta skills all over these chapters. Next up are the prereaders: Lissa, Judyblue and Michele. You guys each bring something different to the table and I appreciate it so much!**

 **I love a slow burn.**

 **I love a unique plot.**

 **I love a fic that makes you feel ... something, anything.**

 **I love twists and turns and shocking revelations.**

 **I love for Bella and Edward to live happily ever after.**

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 **BPOV**

"Jacob, come on, we've got to get a move on," I yell to my three-year-old son. He's always dragging behind these days.

"Coming, Mama."

"Fruity Pebbles for breakfast?"

"Yes, Ma'am!"

I chuckle. "Well come on down, so you'll have time to eat."

"Sam, let's go boy." I hold the back door open and let our rescued pit bull out into the yard. I had a pet growing up and wanted the same for my boy, so when the shelter had their annual stray adoption, I made sure we were there. Jake fell in love with Sam on the spot so there was no other choice for us.

By the time I get him out and the back door locked, Jake's trudging down the stairs, his backpack dragging behind. Slowly, he crawls up into his seat, and with a big yawn, picks up a spoonful of his cereal.

"Are you still tired, sweetie?" I rub my fingers through his hair. "You aren't sneaking your Gameboy in bed at night, are you?

He shakes his head and eats another bite. I don't know what's gotten into him lately. He's tired all the time, and I know all about clumsy, but this is a whole new level. New bruises pop up as the old ones start to fade. I figure it must just be because he's a boy and more rough and tumble than I was as a kid.

I load the dishwasher while he finishes his breakfast, and when he's done, we head out to the car.

I'll never forget how scary it was trying to find the right daycare for my six-week-old son. I interviewed countless centers and was almost to my wits end, when Angela Webber suggested Esme.

Meeting Esme Cullen literally changed my life, in more ways than one. First, she put me at ease instantly and I knew right away that her place is where Jake would be staying. It wasn't much later down the road when my younger sister, Alice, met Esme's son, Jasper, while picking Jake up for me. Their connection was instantaneous and they married just six months ago. The Cullens had become like family to me over the years, and now they actually are.

I pull up and walk Jake inside. "Morning, Bella, Jake," Esme calls out as we enter.

"Morning."

Jake runs off to join Paul and I walk up to chat with her for a quick second. She envelops me in a warm, motherly hug. 'How are things?' she asks, pulling back.

"Everything's good. I just wanted to let you know that Jake seems awfully tired lately. I don't know what it is, but he just seems a little off."

She hums. "I noticed that, too. Do you think he's coming down with something? I can always schedule him for a visit with Carlisle one day this week," she suggests. Carlisle is her husband and has been Jake's pediatrician since shortly after I met the Cullens.

"I don't know if it's that serious. Why don't we just keep an extra eye on him and decide if he gets worse."

She nods. "Sounds good, and you know he's in good hands here."

I smile at her and lean in for another quick hug. "Of course I do. I should be here at my regular time this evening."

"Just call if anything changes," she assures.

"I will. Bye, Jake, be good," I call over to him.

"Bye, Mama, love you."

"Love you."

The drive to my office is the same as every other morning, congested highways and crazy drivers. I park in my spot and make my way to the fourth floor, where my company is housed.

Tanya greets me as I enter. "Morning, Bella, Mr. Crowley's already called twice this morning."

I roll my eyes. "Thanks, Tanya." I give her a smile and continue to my office. It's not the twentieth floor view of Seattle I've always dreamed of, but it's mine and I love it. Owning your own business can be frightening, but exhilarating. I settle my things in and get to work by returning Mr. Crowley's call.

Two hours later, I'm finally able to exit my office to get a cup of coffee.

Tanya smirks. "Did you straighten out Mr. Crowley?"

I chuckle. "I did, and after an hour and a half on the phone, he decided to leave everything as is."

She barks out a laugh. "Well, that was pointless."

I stop beside her desk. "Not really. Every account I have matters and if I have to spend time making sure they're happy with my services, then it's a win because I still have their business."

"I never thought of it like that. I wondered where you got the patience to deal with … touchy accounts."

"Just remember, those touchy accounts pay your salary as well as the easygoing ones." I raise my brows and move off into the break room.

Coffee at last. One thing I learned years ago, is never skimp on good coffee. Good coffee equals happy employees. I pour myself three-quarters of a cup of the steaming liquid, and then proceed to finish it off with milk and four teaspoons of sugar.

Just as I sit back behind my desk, my partner in crime enters my office. "What's up, Swany?"

Jasper Cullen is Esme and Carlisle's son and Alice's husband, but he's also my partner in the firm. We opened the doors two years ago this month. I was already in the process of opening a small business before I met the Cullens, but when Jasper entered our lives, the whole scope changed.

We're not small; we're a large company that handles accounts ranging from the average, wealthy older couple to some of the biggest corporations in Seattle. Jasper was fresh from receiving his CPA, but he's a natural and had the funds in his trust to double my original investment. We decided to become equal partners.

I lean back and cross my arms, smirk firmly planted on my face. "Just handling some accounts. What about you … Jaspy?"

He blushes and chuckles. "Am I ever going to live that down?"

"Nope. Not on your life."

Early in Alice and Jasper's relationship, we went to a local club and all ended up pretty hammered; Alice a little worse than the rest of us. Jasper stayed over at our apartment and I was awoken early the next morning to pants and moans of _'Jaspy, oh, Jaspy.'_

"So how did the meeting go this morning? Do we have a new client?" I ask him.

"Of course we do, Swany. Did you ever doubt me?" He smirks.

I shake my head. "Not even for a second."

He stands and starts to make his way out the door before stopping and leaning in the doorway. "You and Jake still coming over Saturday?"

I nod. "We wouldn't miss it for anything." It's their six-month anniversary dinner. Yeah, that might be crazy for some, but Alice and Jasper have had one for every month so far. Therefore, the six-month mark is a momentous occasion.

Let's just hope Alice orders dinner this time. I love my sister, but she can't cook … at all. I'm no chef in the kitchen either, but when you have a kid, you learn to get by. Alice is horrible and should never be allowed near a stove again.

"Good, Alice was worried after last month's debacle."

"What're you talking about? Jake loved it. Whoppers make everything better." We both laugh as he strolls out into the hall, headed for his office.

After a few more phone calls, I look up and realize it's already lunchtime. Buzzing Tanya, I ask her to step into my office.

"What sounds good today?" she asks, leaning against the doorframe.

I stop and think for a second, before deciding on sandwiches. "How about that little deli on the corner?"

"Yeah, I could go for a roast beef on rye."

"Good"—I grab my purse—"I think I'll have a turkey club with no greens and a bottle of water." She collects my money and begins to make her way to Jasper's office.

She stops and looks back. "Do you want me to direct your calls to you or Lauren while I'm gone?"

"Just send them to me. No need to add more to Lauren's load."

Not even five minutes later, my phone is ringing. "Hello, Bella Swan speaking."

"Ah, Bella, answering your own phones now? Times must be hard." His voice is playful, but it still rubs me the wrong way.

I chuckle into the receiver. "Mike, I didn't expect to be hearing from you." Mike Newton is my ex-fiancé. He's a cardiac surgeon now, but in those days, he was just another resident, working all hours trying to make something of himself. In the month leading up to the wedding, I made a discovery that was a deal breaker.

He didn't want kids.

I had just received my Master's degree and was soon to be Mrs. Newton. I couldn't think of anything I wanted more. A new career, a husband and a family soon to follow, that was my dream, or so I thought. My soon-to-be husband let it slip that he didn't want kids for at least ten years. I was devastated but knew it was a no brainer. I called off the wedding, packed my belongings and moved in with Alice all in the span of two days.

Mike was heartbroken, too, but I couldn't allow him to live my dreams instead of his own. He'd only resent me in the end. At the time, he didn't think so and begged me to change my mind. But over the years we've settled into a tenuous friendship; one where he can now admit that having a kid so young was definitely not on his agenda; maybe even never. Don't get me wrong, he adores Jake when he does see him but is glad the responsibility isn't his.

"Now, Bella, don't sound too excited. I'm just calling to let you know I'll be out of the country for the next six months. I know we don't talk very often, but I felt I should let you know."

"Oh, well of course. Can I ask where you'll be?" Even though I realized he wasn't my dream man, I do still care about him and wish him the best in all his endeavors. We usually get together a few times a year just to catch up or hang out.

He sighs. "I've signed up for a stint with Doctors Without Borders. I'll be in Africa and incommunicado at least some of the time I'm there."

I smile to myself. He always wanted to make a difference when he went into medicine and I can't think of a better way for him to do that. "Mike, that's wonderful! I'm so happy to hear you're doing something for you."

"Well, Bella, I think I need to thank you, actually. I never would've followed this particular dream if we'd married. It feels like a calling, though, and I can't wait to get there."

I slump in my chair. Hearing these words from him, lets me know that he's over what we never began and is finally living his life for himself. "I don't know what to say, Mike, you know I'm so happy for you." My voice cracks so I take a second to collect myself. "Enough with all the mushy stuff, tell me when you leave.

He's quiet for a second. "Friday," he finally answers, then rushes ahead. "I know it's soon and I'm sorry I didn't contact you before, but I wanted to make sure I was committed before I told you. I didn't want to change my mind."

"I understand completely. Sorry we can't get together before you leave, but I'd love to hear from you while you're there, if you get the chance?"

I can hear the relief in his answer. "You know it, and if I can't call, I'll write you a letter."

"Sounds good. Thanks for letting me know," I say, meaning it completely.

"Of course, Bella. It was good talking to you."

"You, too. Bye, Mike."

"Bye, Bella."

The line goes silent and the call is disconnected. I've been worried about him since we separated. A lot of meaningless relationships and work have left him unfulfilled. Maybe this will get him out of his funk and let him actually move on. That conversation assures me once more that I did the right thing in breaking it off with him.

I sit, staring across the room at nothing, considering my life up to this point. I have my own company, a beautiful house with a fenced in yard, a dog and the most perfect son ever. I really do have it all, minus the husband and one point five kids. I'm living the dream.

Tanya breaks me out of my reverie entering in a rush with lunch in her arms. She places it all on my desk and pulls up a chair. We sit and eat, while she tells me about the cashier at the deli hitting on her.

"As if," she says and rolls her eyes.

Apparently he's either a teenager or barely in his twenties and slipped her his number with the receipt. I laugh out loud. "I guess the deli's off the list for a while."

"More like, forever." She stands and cleans up our lunch, before making her way back to her desk.

After making a trip to our payroll department, I settle behind my desk once more. Not even ten minutes later Tanya buzzes me.

"Bella?"

"Yes, Tanya."

"I have Mrs. Cullen on line two."

"Thank you."

I pick up the phone and press to connect the call.

"Esme, how is everything?" It's not unheard of for her to call me at the office, so I don't think anything of it until I hear her next words.

"Bella, I need you to stay calm."

I immediately tense. "What do you mean stay calm …Has something happened?"

I'm met by silence.

"Esme, you're scaring me. What is it, please, tell me," I almost scream into the phone.

I've already jumped from my seat and am pacing around my office, my mind going a million miles a minute.

"Bella," she says finally. "It's Jake."

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 **And if you read the teasers you know the next little snippet, so no major cliffy here.**

 **See you Sunday with chapter 2!**


	2. Detour

**Disclaimer: _I don't own Twilight and I know doctors don't personally draw blood, but of course, Dr. Carlisle Cullen does ;)_**

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 **Wow, I am freaking BLOWN AWAY with the love you shared for chapter 1! Seems I unintentionally added a little more mystery than was intended about Mike being Jake's father. Is he or isn't he? I think this chapter will help with that, just a smidge.**

 **Thanks to Fran for jumping on board with this one and my pre-readers, Lissa, Judy and Michele for every comment they leave.**

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 **BPOV**

"Bella," she says finally. "It's Jake."

My heart starts to race and my breathing picks up. "Now, don't get worked up, dear. We just have a little problem," she soothes.

That doesn't sound so bad. I start to count down from ten in my head, taking slow, deep breaths. When I'm able to speak calmly, I ask the most important question. "Is he hurt?"

She sighs into the phone. "Not really hurt, Bella, but his nose has spontaneously started bleeding today."

Relief sweeps through me and I sag into my seat. "That's all? You nearly gave me a heart attack!"

The line is silent once again. "Esme?"

"He's okay, Bella. I did call Carlisle, though, and he wants to see him … today."

I sit back in my chair. "Okay, did you make him an appointment?"

"Nonsense. Any time you can get him there is absolutely fine."

I mentally click through the rest of my day and decide nothing's important enough that I can't put off. I start shutting down my computer. "Let me finish up here and I'll be right over. Say, forty-five minutes?"

"Sounds perfect. I'll see you then."

I buzz Tanya and let her know I'm leaving the office. Then I grab a few files I was supposed to look through and stuff them in my briefcase. I also stop by Jasper's office and let him know that I'm gone for the day. On the way back through the reception, I head towards Tanya's desk.

"Hey, so what's up?" she asks.

"I need to pick Jake up and get him over to see Carlisle."

Her brows furrow. "Is everything okay?"

I sigh. "I think so. His nose has been bleeding so he wants me to bring him in."

"Okay, that doesn't sound so bad. Keep me informed?"

"Of course. I'm sure it's nothing."

I never imagined those words could be so far off base.

That doctor's visit was the beginning of something no one could've ever imagined. It shattered me; left me in so many pieces that I wasn't sure they could be put back together.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

Arriving at the daycare, I park and hurriedly make my way inside. I find Jake asleep, curled up with his head resting in Esme's lap.

She gives me a pitying smile. "I'm sorry you had to get off work, but I think he needs to see Carlisle. I'm worried about him."

I lean down and pull my fingers through his hair. "What happened?"

She speaks quietly. "One minute he was running around with Paul and the next, he was running to me freaking out." She chuckles. "He was worried about the blood staining his shirt."

"Oh, my poor little man."

"Bella." I look up at the tone of her voice. "It took a while for me to get the bleeding stopped. I mean he's a boy and a nosebleed isn't that bad, but it was a lot of blood and it just kept coming." She starts to sniffle. "I didn't know what to do. I called Carlisle on his cell while he was with a patient. He knew I'd never call him that way unless it was important." The tears she's been trying to hold back begin to spill over her cheeks.

I lean in and put my arm around her. "I'm so sorry, Esme. Maybe I should've already taken him to see Carlisle **.** I thought he seemed a little off lately."

"Oh, dear, you can't blame yourself. That's what we mothers do, make the hard decisions. He's your son and you know him best."

I sniffle right along with her. "I should, but I must've been wrong this time. "

"No, Bella, you can't think like that." She pulls back and wipes the tears from my cheeks. "Just get him to Carlisle and he'll find out what it is and fix him up right away.

I give her a slight nod and reach down to shake Jacob lightly. "Jacob, sweetie, it's Mama. Time to wake up."

He opens his eyes, disoriented, and then focuses on my face. "Oh, hey, Mama." He yawns. "Time to go home?"

I help him rise up and move to sit next to him on the love seat. "We're going to see Dr. Carlisle first. Is that okay?"

He shrugs. "Sure." I study his face closely and I can still see the slight trace of blood on the inner lining of his nostrils and the dark circles that have formed under his eyes. My baby definitely doesn't feel well.

Why didn't I see this earlier?

I go over and grab his backpack, then go back and lift him up on my hip. He lays his head on my shoulder. My eyes catch Esme's and I try to convey all of my apologies with that one look. She gives me a slight shake of her head. Standing, she puts her arm around us both and proceeds to lead us out to my car, her head resting against Jake's.

After he's buckled in, I start the car and begin the drive to Carlisle's practice **.** Since it's before rush hour, the traffic is lighter than I'm used to and we make it there in less time than I expected **.**

When we arrive at the office, Jake's fallen asleep again. I carefully remove him from his seat as easily as possible, and lift him to my shoulder. He's gotten so big. I remember when I brought him home from the hospital. His head was as bald as an eagle and his eyes were as big as saucers. Here he is now, three years later, with a riot of hair and a set of deep, mesmerizing eyes.

His daddy must be one handsome man.

I enter the office, careful to jostle him as little as possible. When I get to the nurse's station, Mrs. Cope recognizes us immediately. "Ms. Swan, Dr. Cullen said to expect you and let him know the minute you arrived. Have a seat and I'm sure a nurse will be right out to get you."

I smile. "No hurry, Mrs. Cope. We'll just wait like everybody else."

I make my way over to a row of chairs, and just as I'm about to sit, Heidi opens the door and calls, "Jacob Swan."

Well, so much for that. I regroup and start making my way toward her. She smiles. "Right this way." We go down a hall I've been down countless times before yet this time butterflies flit in my stomach and I can't pinpoint why.

After being showed to our appointed exam room, I take a seat in one of the available chairs, with Jacob still sleeping on my shoulder.

We aren't there more than five minutes before Carlisle enters in a flourish. "Bella, so glad you brought him in. Can you lie him on the exam table please?" He looks up from the file in his hands.

"Of course." I rise, and carry him to the table and very carefully place him down. He doesn't even budge, still sleeping away. That's so strange for my active three-year-old son.

Carlisle approaches and gives him a cursory once over before meeting my eyes. "So, Esme called in quite a tizzy today." I nod. "Has he had a nose bleed before?"

"Once, when Jasper accidentally hit him in the face with the football, but that was understandable I think."

Carlisle nods, agreeing with my assessment. "No spontaneous ones then?"

I shake my head. "No, none that I've known about."

He gently raises Jake's shirt sleeves and examines his arms, then does the same with his pant legs. "What about these bruises?" He makes eye contact. "How often does he have these?"

I sigh. "Lately it seems that he bruises easily. By the time they finally turn yellow, the next time I look he has new purple ones." I shake my head. "Boys."

"How long ago did this start? The bruising," he clarifies.

I rack my brain trying to come up with an answer. He's a boy, so he does get bumps and bruises, but it has been more so lately than usual. "I'm not exactly sure, Carlisle. He always has bruises, he's a growing boy, but lately it seems to have gotten excessive. Maybe the past couple of months."

Jake opens his eyes and looks around the room, before landing on Carlisle. "Hey, Dr. Carlisle," he says as he sits up. "Mama said we come see you."

Carlisle smiles a genuine smile. "You sure did, buddy. How are you feeling?"

Jacob shrugs. "I okay. Can I have a sucker today?"

Carlisle chuckles and ruffles his hair. "You sure can, but after I'm done looking you over. Okay?"

"Okay," Jacob answers.

Carlisle pulls out his stethoscope and does a routine exam, checking his reflexes, pupils and listening to his breathing and heart. When that's all done, he hangs his stethoscope around his neck and sighs, looking to me. "Bella, everything appears normal, but I'd feel better if we ran a few tests."

"What kind of tests?" I twist my hands together in nervous anticipation. Tests make me worried that it's something more.

"Well, I'll take a few vials of blood and do several tests. It could be something as simple as an iron deficiency. I don't want you to worry right now. I'll run the labs myself if I have to in order to get them back as soon as I possibly can." He reaches over and gives my knee a squeeze.

I take a deep breath and release the tension that I've been holding onto, then place my hand on his and look him straight in the eyes. "Thank you, Carlisle. I can't help but worry, but I trust you'll be as thorough as ever."

He pulls his hand back and stands, eyeing Jacob. "Always," he says sincerely, then tilts his head at Jake. "He'll take his cues from you, so let's assume there's nothing wrong if and until we know differently."

I give him a firm nod. "Absolutely."

He steps into the hall and calls for Heidi, his nurse, to bring him the supplies necessary to withdraw the blood samples, then comes back into the room and starts talking to Jake.

The Cullens have treated us so well, even from the beginning, but now with Alice and Jasper getting married, they include us as part of the family. We have dinner there occasionally, go out and do things together and on the rare occasion I need a babysitter, Esme gladly volunteers. We consider ourselves lucky to know and be a part of such a truly wonderful family.

As soon as Jake sees the needle, his eyes get bigger and he shrinks away. "Am I getting a shot? I don't want no shots."

"No, buddy, no shots today, but I am going to have to stick you." He holds up the needle for Jake to see. "See this right here?" Jake nods. Carlisle puts the needle down and grabs Jake's arm, pushing up his sleeve. He slides his fingers down the vein in Jake's arm. "I'm going to have to just stick the tip in this purple line right here." He gestures to a vein in the crook of his arm. "It won't take but a second and then I'll be done. You'll be able to see the blood fill up in these." He grabs up the vials for Jake to see.

"Is it gonna hurt?"

Carlisle sighs. "It might hurt for just a second, but if you be still and calm, it'll be over before you know it."

Jake pouts but gives Carlisle a small nod. "Okay."

I go over, stand beside him and put my hand on his shoulder. "It'll be okay, sweetie. You're a big boy, remember? Last time you didn't even cry when you got your shots."

He puffs out his chest. "I didn't." He points to his chest with his thumb. "I a big boy now."

I ruffle his hair. "You sure are. My big boy."

He nods a few times and holds his arm out to Carlisle. "Let's do this!"

I chuckle to myself. He's such a brave boy. Carlisle preps Jake's arm to get the vein up as much as possible and as carefully as he can, sticks the needle in his arm. He cringes a bit, but takes it like the tough little boy that he is.

I'm so proud.

After several vials of blood have been filled, which fascinates Jake to no end, he finishes up, removes the needle from his arm, disposes of it and then places a brightly colored Band-Aid over the site. "All right, buddy, you did good. You're free to go."

Jake perks up and turns to me. "You ready, Mama?"

"Sure am." I try to sound as perky as him.

"Jacob, why don't you let Ms. Heidi take you to get your sucker while I talk with your mom? Is that okay?" Carlisle asks, and when Jake nods, he steps to the door and calls for Heidi once more.

With Jake out of the room, Carlisle comes over and places his hand on my shoulder. "Bella, I want you and Jake to go home and have an easy night. Don't fret over these tests." He gives me a stern look. "I'm personally going to take these to the lab after I see my last patient of the day. Expect a call from me no later than tomorrow evening."

"What do I do if it happens again, Carlisle?' I let a little of the worry I'm feeling seep into my voice.

"You calm him down, have him sit, tilt his head forward and pinch his nostrils. Hold them closed for at least five minutes. It _will_ stop. Don't freak out, but you can call me anytime," he assures me.

"So, you want us to stay home tomorrow? That makes me worry that there's something you're not telling me. If it were just a simple iron deficiency, you wouldn't want me to keep him home." I start to pace around the room.

He stops me and places both hands on my shoulders in a firm grip. "Listen to me, Bella. I don't _know_ what it is, but I'm a doctor and it's best to be precautious. I just want him kept calm and not wound up running around with his friends, until I have the results back. Then we'll decide what to do next. No use assuming things without the proper diagnosis."

I take a deep breath and allow my panic to subside. "Thank you, Carlisle."

He opens his arms and engulfs me in a warm fatherly hug. "Anytime, Bella, anytime. Now get that sweet boy home and have a nice, quiet night."

"I will."

I exit the exam room already hearing Jake talking away with Mrs. Cope at her desk. I follow the best sound in the world and stop when I reach them. "You ready to go, Jake?"

"Look, Mama, I got a blue one, my favorite."

"I see that."

Mrs. Cope breaks in. "Do you need to set a follow-up visit?"

I give her a small shake of my head. "Not right now. I'll be hearing from Dr. Cullen soon."

She nods. "Okay, sweetie. You two have a good night then."

"We will." I smile at her and turn to Jake. "Did you tell Mrs. Cope thank you for the sucker?"

"I sure did. You says I always gotta be p … po …"

I help him out. "Polite. Yes, I do say that." I brush my hand across his head. "Such a good boy."

He eats the praise up with a spoon and I'm so happy to see him looking more alert. Maybe it is just something simple.

Jake and I stop and pick up pizza and bread-sticks on the way home and plan to settle in front of the TV for all his favorite movies. A relaxing night at home is just what the doctor ordered.

Literally.

I'm up with the sun the next morning. I know Carlisle won't be calling this early, but I can barely sleep. It was a night of tossing, turning and constant walks to Jake's room. I knew he'd be okay, but I couldn't stop myself from checking anyway.

I decide a hearty breakfast is in order. A growing boy's got to keep his strength up, right? I break out the bacon and eggs and start his favorite pancake mix, banana nut. I hate bananas and anything that involves them, so this is definitely a 'like' he got from his dad.

After breakfast is cleared, we move to the dining table for a couple of stimulating rounds of Candy Land. He's a sore loser, but I won't just let him win. I don't want my son thinking he'll always win at life. That's not how it is in the real world.

Another trait he must've gotten from his dad.

Around three in the afternoon, my cell finally rings with Carlisle's number. I feel a flutter of nerves run through me, but quickly brush it aside.

I swipe to answer my phone. "Hello."

"Bella."

That's it. That's all he says after keeping me waiting almost twenty-four hours for this call.

I swallow my irritation at having to drag it from him. "Yes, Carlisle, it's me. Who else?" I ask with an irritated chuckle.

He clears his throat. "I know, I'm sorry."

"Why are you apologizing, Carlisle? Just tell me what you called to say," I snap, then feel bad. "Now I'm sorry." I hesitate. "Is it bad?" My voice is low and there's no way I can keep out the fear.

Silence.

"Carlisle!"

He takes a deep breath. "I need you to come into the office. This is a talk that must be face to face."

"Oh, no. You have to tell me something." The panic breaks through and I feel the weight building on my chest.

"Just get here as soon as possible."

The line goes dead.

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 **See you Friday!**


	3. Soft Shoulder

**Disclaimer:** _ **I don't own Twilight and have never experienced this type of situation, but I hope I did it justice.**_

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 **You continue to amaze me with your words and I appreciate them so much! Just a warning in case it isn't clear … Cliffies will be an occurrence during this fic, but I hope it's still worth it :)**

 **Thank you Fran for making my words better and Lissa, Judyblue and Michele for the encouragement and comments you leave XOXO**

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 ****Possible tissue warning**

 **BPOV**

The drive to Carlisle's office passes by in a blur. A blur of cars, traffic and thoughts as my mind wanders into dangerous territory.

 _What could possibly be wrong to make Carlisle react this way?_

I steady my breathing and try to remain calm, my grip on the wheel loosening. No sense working myself up over nothing.

 _But this isn't nothing, is it?_

It can't be. He'd never have put me in this position if it weren't something.

 _Something big._

By the time I arrive in the parking lot, I'm stressed more than ever. Hurriedly, I unbuckle Jake and we make our way into the office. Mrs. Cope is sitting behind the desk, as she's done every visit we've ever made.

She looks up. Her expression goes from a warm welcome to comforting. "Ms. Swan, Dr. Cullen is waiting for you." She then stands and motions us to the side door. "Come through here."

Walking over to meet us as we enter the hall, she leans down and addresses Jake. "Hey, sweetie. Why don't you come with me while Mama goes and talks to Dr. Cullen.?"

He draws closer to my leg, hugging it tightly. "No, I stay wif Mama."

She pouts and drops down on her knees in front of him. "Aw, I was hoping you'd help me get more suckers to fill my bowl." She points to her empty bowl on the counter. "And as a reward, I'm sure you'll get to have one, too."

Jake's eyes brighten, as he looks to the bowl. "I get a sucker?"

"You sure will, sweet boy, but we have to fill it for all the other good little kids first. Okay?" She stands and holds her hand out for him to take.

He releases my leg and grabs it easily. "Bye, Mama, be good for Dr. Cullen. I get a sucker." With a little wave, he disappears down the hall following Ms. Cope out of sight.

I take a deep breath.

Time to get some answers.

Squaring my shoulders, I march straight down the hall to Carlisle's office. I don't even bother knocking. I simply turn the knob and push the door open, stepping inside.

Carlisle's head snaps up at my sudden entrance, but as soon as he notices it's me, his shoulders immediately deflate. "Bella." _That's it._ That's all he has to say after hanging up on me and causing me to freak out the whole drive here.

I shut the door behind me, none too silently mind you, and cross my arms over my chest. When he continues to stare, without saying a word, I begin tapping my foot.

My stomach is in knots and my heart is pounding, praying he'll say something simple, something that won't bring my world crashing down.

He sighs, motioning to the chair across from him. "Please, have a seat."

I dig in my heels, refusing his offer. "I think I'll just stand."

He removes his glasses and rubs his eyes harshly with his fingers, then looks at me so filled with guilt, that it almost takes my breath. "Please," he begs.

I almost refuse, but I need to hear this. I may not be able to remain standing once he delivers the news that's sure to break me. Walking over, I begrudgingly take a seat. Releasing a breath of air, I steel myself for his next words.

Only they don't come right away.

He fidgets with things on his desk—arranging already straight files, neatening his pens in their holder and even trying to align his stapler evenly.

When my patience has ran out, I lean forward, catching his eyes. "Carlisle, I love you, I really do. But if you don't tell me why I'm here in the next ten seconds, I might do bodily harm," I grit out between clenched teeth.

"All right, Bella." He scrubs his hands through his unusually messy hair. "I just … I just don't know how to say this."

"You can start by telling me what the hell you thought you were doing hanging up on me! Do you realize that I drove over here in a daze? That my mind was imagining every possible condition Jake could have to make you react that way. Huh? Start with that! Start anywhere! Just start!" My voice has risen and my breathing escalated by the time I'm done.

He stands and comes around the desk, leaning down on one knee in front of me. "I'm so sorry, Bella. I never thought of those things." He sighs and looks away. After a beat, he looks back and pierces me with his stare. "Bella, Jake's sick."

I involuntarily recoil. I recoil from the very notion that something is wrong with my baby boy. Of course, I knew it. I knew Carlisle would never have acted the way he did if something weren't wrong, but hearing it from his lips causes the denial to spring from mine. "No." And again more forcefully. "No! _He is not_!"

Carlisle reaches for me and encloses me in his strong, supportive arms. I can do nothing but take his comfort. For seconds, minutes, we remain in that position … Him giving the comfort and me receiving it. When the tears have dried and the sniffles start dying down, he slowly leans back and takes in my face.

"Bella, I promise you I _will_ fix this. Now, let's talk about it, and what we can do." His eyes hold their own wetness. Unshed tears. He returns to his seat and opens a file in front of him.

Dr. Cullen is back in the room.

Good.

He's who I'm going to need if I expect Jake to be okay.

He leans back in his chair and makes direct eye contact. "Jake has aplastic anemia."

"Anemia?" I question. "Isn't that just another word for low iron?" Why would he have me so worked up over this?

He nods. "Anemia, yes. But aplastic anemia is more severe and _will_ call for an aggressive treatment."

I sit and absorb his words. "Okay. How do we get started?"

He leans back in his chair and laces his fingers over his stomach. "That's the thing, Bella. It won't be that easy. They're several tests we have to do to determine the extent of his condition. Then we'll decide from there."

The blood is rushing in my ears and I am so fed up with his half answers. This is a man I have come to know as family, and he's acting like a regular doctor with his evasiveness. I lean forward again. "Look, Carlisle, I _need_ facts. I need you to tell me worst-case scenario, best-case scenario and everything in between. I need to know how serious this could or could not get. You've given me nothing so far except a diagnosis; one that I know nothing about. So why don't you fill me in!"

He slides his glasses back on and opens the file in front of him. After a brief pause, where he scans the papers in front of him, he looks up at me. "When I looked him over, I noticed many bruises. That, along with his spontaneous nosebleed, led me to believe that anemia could very well be the cause. Wanting to be as thorough as possible, I ordered a complete blood count or what we call a CBC to be performed along with his blood work."

I nod to let him know I'm listening. How could I be doing anything else?

"It was just a precaution on my part. I never expected those tests to be abnormal, but they were." He looks at me with such heartbreak.

"So this CBC was abnormal. That tells you he has aplastic anemia?"

"For the most part, yes. There are a couple of other tests that we'll need to perform to better confirm the diagnosis and those will help decide which treatment he needs."

"What are we waiting for?And when you say which treatment, does that mean that there are several different paths we could take, depending on the outcome of these tests?"

He closes the file and props his arms on his desk, leaning forward. "We'll draw more blood today before you leave the office. The next test will check to see if he's making new red blood cells at the proper rate. It's called a Reticulocyte Count. Depending on those results, he may need to have a bone marrow test."

"A bone marrow test? Carlisle, you're scaring me. Just give it to me straight. Best and worst case scenario," I say. I want to have faith, but with words like bone marrow being thrown around, I'm not sure if I can.

"Okay, Bella. Best-case scenario is that it's a mild case and as long as he doesn't worsen, we treat him with medicines. He could be at a stage where he would require a blood transfusion." He stops and takes a deep breath before continuing. "And if it's severe, then he is going to need a bone marrow transplant."

My blood runs cold. "Bone marrow transplant?" It can't be. Right? No way is Jacob going to need a bone marrow transplant. The wetness rushes to my eyes.

Carlisle reaches his hand across the desk and I grab onto it like a lifeline. "Listen to me, Bella. There's no need to work yourself up. We don't have any idea yet if it will even come to that. Many cases don't ever make it to that severity. Let's take it one step at a time. Breathe with me."

We sit there hand in hand, taking deep, steady breaths until the tears subside and I allow his words to soak in my brain.

"Do you have any more questions for me today?" he asks.

I give his hand a tight squeeze and utter, "One step at a time."

He smiles and nods. "Good girl. Are you ready to take Jake to an exam room and draw some more blood?"

Just thinking of my precious son makes the tears load in my eyes once more. I nod. "Can I run to the restroom first?"

"Of course. Why don't you do that and I'll have Ms. Cope bring him into an exam room." I stand and hurry away before my tears start to fall.

I splash water on my face and stare at the woman in the mirror. She looks as if her world just exploded around her. I need to get myself together. Jake is going to need me and I can't let him see this part of me. The scared out of her mind mother, afraid for what her child might be facing. With one deep breath, I exit the bathroom and make my way to exam room one where my big boy is already having his blood drawn.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

"Hey, sweetie."

"Hey, Mom. Is it okay if Jake and I come by for a little while?" I ask, cradling my cell between my shoulder and ear.

"Well sure. You know you're welcome anytime. You've already gotten off work today?" she asks.

"No, I didn't go. I'll explain when I get there."

"Okay, honey, how far away are you?"

"We'll be there in twenty."

"See you then, sweetheart," she says and hangs up the phone.

When I pull into Mom and Dad's driveway a little while later, I'm grateful when I glance at Jacob in the rear view mirror. He's leaned over resting his head on the side of his car seat, sound asleep. Carefully lifting him, I walk us to the front door.

Mom's already standing there waiting. She's a sight for sore eyes. Jake and I are going to need my whole family to rally around and give us strength to face whatever may come.

She runs her hand over his head and gives him a kiss on the cheek. "There's my sweet boy."

I go in and immediately take him to my old room. Thankfully, he doesn't stir when I lay him down. I stand there taking him in for a long minute, before I exit the room ready to shatter my mom's world, just as mine has been.

I find her in the kitchen, making us grilled cheese. Jacob's favorite. The tears automatically fill my eyes. I don't know how to do this. She's standing there oblivious to the heartbreak I'm about to deliver.

After a deep breath, I heave myself up onto a bar stool and sit there waiting for the inevitable. Not even thirty seconds later, Mom turns to face me. Her smile dies. "What's the matter?" The expression on my face says all she needs to know.

This is bad. Really bad.

I crumble.

I bury my face in my hands and start bawling for my brave little boy who already gave his blood twice. Bawling because I have no idea what his future holds and because I have to break the news to the rest of my family. Bawling because my sanity is buried behind a locked door, one I'm not sure I have a key to at the moment. And most of all, bawling because I'm scared out of my mind; scared to lose my little boy.

Strong motherly arms encircle me and a soothing, shushing sound escapes from her lips. "It's okay, baby. Mom has you. Whatever it is, Mom's got you." She sways us back and forth while I cry and cry and cry.

I can't contain the sobs enough to speak just yet, so I absorb. I absorb every inch of motherly comfort she's bestowing upon me. Countless moments pass while I take. I take everything she has to give.

When it's become too much for even her to bear, she pulls back and gives me a slight shake. "Bella, you have to snap out of it and tell me. Something's wrong. Terribly wrong, and I need to know!" She sounds frantic.

With chest wracking sobs still escaping my lips, I utter one thing. "It's Jake."

Confusion mars her features. "Jake?" She releases me and goes to the sink, wetting a rag. When she approaches again, she begins wiping the wetness from my face. It brings a soothing calm that only a mother's attention can. "You've got to calm down, honey, and tell me. I can't help you if I don't know what's the matter."

I sniffle a few more times and take in a huge gulp of air before releasing the devastation with one exhale. "He's sick." And the sobs return.

She continues wiping my face, collecting the tears that leak from my eyes. "There, there, honey. Calm down and tell me." More firmly. "What's wrong with him?"

I dig deep.

I draw on all the comfort I know she can provide. I suck up the tears and with hiccups in my voice; I tell her everything I know at this point. By the time I'm done, tears are running down her cheeks. She grabs and squeezes, hugging me so tight I feel I can barely breathe.

"He's going to be fine, Bella, my sweet grandbaby is going to be perfectly fine," she says, as she pulls back and gives me a firm stare. "Carlisle is the best. He won't let anything happen to Jake."

Her words hold finality. She's so sure. Her strength flows into me, and I try to begin pulling myself together. "You're right." I give a sharp nod. "Carlisle _will_ take care of him."

"He will and we'll be there every step of the way," she affirms.

I give her a slight smile. "Of course you will, I never thought differently."

She gives me one more firm hug. "Now, why don't you go lie down with my precious grandson and take a nap yourself. You could use it after burning all that energy just now. I'm going to give your father a call."

I yawn. "I think I just might. Thank you, Mom. I love you."

"Love you."

I head to the bathroom to wash my face, then straight to my old bed, crawling in and curling around my precious son. Within minutes, my thoughts are no more.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

I open my eyes to a barely lit room. The sun having snaked toward the horizon. Jacob is still snuggled in my embrace, breathing lightly beside me. I disentangle myself and reach for my phone on the nightstand.

Six twenty-eight.

I take a sharp breath.

Jake's been asleep for over four hours. I turn back to him and give a slight shake. "Jake, time to wake up, sweetie."

He mumbles but continues sleeping. I shake him more firmly. "Jacob, time to get up."

He rolls away. "Tired, Mama."

I nudge him a little harder. "No, Jacob. You have to wake up." I'm starting to get worried now, but at least he's responding.

He starts whining. "No, Mama, I don't feel good."

I gently sit him up and prompt him to look at me. "Sweetie, we're at Nana and Papa's house. Don't you want to visit?"

He shakes his head. "I dizzy," he answers just as vomit spews from his mouth.

I yell for Mom. When she comes in, I pass Jake over to her to clean up and pick up my phone. My call to Carlisle is frantic, but he understands the symptoms and asks me to meet him at Seattle General as soon as possible.

I grab Jake a change of clothes and run them to my mother while I gather up our stuff. Not even a minute later, I'm standing at the bathroom door. "I've got it, Mom. Will you take our things to the car for me?"

She nods and takes the items from my arms. I dress him quickly; rush through the house and out the front door. Mom is standing there speaking with my dad. He looks up when he notices me approaching. "Come on, honey, we'll get there faster if we take the cruiser."

A sigh of relief escapes my lips and I start marching toward his car, Mom already buckling in the car seat. She jumps in the front while Jake and I load into the back.

Dad tears out of the driveway headed for Seattle General, blue lights flashing the whole way.

 *****Medical information came from National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute website**

 **I hope you're still with me! See you Wednesday with some answers to your musings :)**


	4. Sharp Left Turn

**Thanks Fran for making this prettier and Lissa, JudyBlue and Michele for all of their words.**

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 **Disclaimer:** _ **I don't own Twilight and I know that the turn this story is about to take is highly unlikely. I hope you can see it for what it is and go on this journey with me. Jake's symptoms and treatment do fall in line with his diagnosis, but I will take creative liberties moving forward (where his donation comes from and things like that).**_

 **Remember:**

 **I love a slow burn.**

 **I love a unique plot.**

 **I love a fic that makes you feel ... something, anything.**

 ** _I love twists and turns and shocking revelations._**

 **I love for Bella and Edward to live happily ever after.**

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 **Old questions will be answered and new ones will form ...**

 **BPOV**

We arrive at the hospital amid a flurry of activity. Carlisle is waiting at the entrance to the ER and has several nurses at his side. I unbuckle Jake and we slowly slide out of the car. He'd already fallen back to sleep.

"Follow me." Carlisle's tone is brisk; no nonsense.

He leads us through the emergency room and straight back to one of the treatment rooms. "Lay him down on the examination table." He turns to the nurse that followed us in. "Get an IV started and page Dr. Volturi."

"Who's Dr. Volturi?" I ask.

He turns to me. "Bella, he's a hematologist, this area is his specialty. I had already contacted him regarding Jake's case."

I recoil. "He doesn't need a specialist. I need _you_ to fix him!"

My mother steps up and places her hands on my shoulders from behind. "Sweetheart, Carlisle is only doing what's best for Jacob. I'm sure he'd never just pass him along to another physician."

Carlisle sighs. "God no, Bella. I'd never leave Jake. I just want the best for him and with his condition, I wanted a specialist on board." He looks to Jake for a second, then back to me. "You have to know that this isn't a good sign? That his condition might be worse than I feared?"

I take deep, steady breaths, allowing his words to settle in my mind, only problem is that it automatically balks at the concept. "Worse? No, Carlisle, you said it could be mild and maybe only need medicine! You said he'd be okay! That's what you said!" Jake stirs and I realize my rant has disturbed him. My whole body sags. Defeated. "Never mind, just make him better."

He nods and turns to Jake, looking him over. Another man enters the room and heads straight for Jacob. "Is this him, Carlisle? The boy you mentioned?" he asks.

Carlisle turns and acknowledges the other doctor with a nod. "It is."

The doctor goes straight over to Jake and begins looking him over, then turns to me. "How long has he been getting bruises like this?" His voice is harsh and I'm not sure I like the accusation in his tone.

I shrug. "A couple of months. He's a boy, they play hard."

He sighs and turns to the nurse, who's standing just inside the doorway. "Jessica, get me the lab on the phone."

She nods and scurries from the room. Then he looks to Carlisle. "He's going to have to be admitted."

Carlisle scrubs his hand through his hair. "I figured as much."

"Admitted?" my dad speaks up.

Carlisle walks over, looking as defeated as I feel. "I'm sorry, but his condition has gone down fast. I never anticipated that he'd exhibit these signs."

My mom places her hand on Carlisle's forearm. "Oh, Carlisle, we don't blame you. We know you care as much for Jake as we do."

"What do these signs mean, Carlisle?" I ask, afraid for the answer.

His weary eyes lock on mine. "It means he's pretty sick right now, Bella. As soon as the other tests come back from the lab, Dr. Volturi and I can give a more definite outlook." He reaches over and strokes my hair. "But for now, I need you to prepare yourself." He looks to my parents. "You all need to prepare yourself."

His hand drops and he walks back over to Jake. I feel my walls start to crumble around me, but one glance at the table my precious boy is lying on and I know I can't. I had my chance to break down and I took it and reveled in it. That was it, my one and only opportunity. It's over and done and now I'll be the rock my baby is going to need.

I draw in one huge lungful of air and let it all wash away. The pain is no longer my vice, it's the fight. The fight we're going to give if anyone or anything thinks they're going to hurt my son.

I stand aside and allow Carlisle and Dr. Volturi to do every minute check they can. Finally, Jessica comes back. "Dr. Volturi, I have the lab on the phone at the nurses' desk." He nods and walks briskly out of the room.

I run my fingers through Jake's hair as he lays there sleeping. "Carlisle, is it okay that he's still sleeping? He's been asleep almost since we left your office earlier."

"Sleep is a defense mechanism. When our bodies are tired and worn down, they sleep to build back up. It's perfectly normal." His voice is sad and broken. The guilt lying heavily upon him.

I walk over and place my hand on his back, gaining his attention. "Carlisle, this isn't your fault, you know? Whatever this is, it's not _your_ fault! I can see the guilt, sitting there like a brick on your chest." I reach around and offer a brief hug before pulling back and staring into his eyes. "I trust you, Carlisle. I _know_ you'll do everything in your power to make him better."

A small smile curls up on his lips. "Thank you, Bella. And I will. I'll do everything in my power to make Jacob well." He sighs. "There are going to be some tough decisions to be made, but we'll do it together, as one strong unit." He motions to Jake. "For him."

I suck in a deep breath and nod. "For him."

Just then, the door bursts open and Dr. Volturi sweeps in. "Carlisle, can I talk to you … outside?" He tilts his head toward the door.

Carlisle stiffens. "Are the test results in?"

Dr. Volturi nods, a solemn look on his face. Carlisle clears his throat and begins walking in his direction.

"Hold up! If you two think you're going to go outside and talk alone about _my_ son and his condition, then you had better think again. Anything that needs to be said can be said right here!" I'm fuming. How dare they? I won't just sit by and allow that to happen.

Dr. Volturi cuts his eyes at me, his haughty demeanor already in place. "Save it!" I snap. "You _will_ tell _me_ what is wrong with _my_ son and what _we_ need to do to fix him!"

Shock registers on his face before Carlisle steps forward trying to calm the situation. "Dr. Volturi, first I'd like to introduce you to Bella Swan. This is Jacob's mother."

"I gathered." He rolls his eyes.

"Second, I agree with Bella. Whatever those test results are, she has a right to know. Why don't we go to your office and discuss them together?" It's a suggestion, but not really. Carlisle just made sure to include me in whatever this doctor has to say.

"Carlisle, I don't th—"

"That's not your decision, Alec. Bella will hear the results first hand." His voice is firm but holds no malice. The decision is his and has already been made.

Dr. Volturi sighs. "Very well then."

Carlisle turns to Mom and Dad. "Would you sit here with Jake while we go have this conversation? When we come back, we should have solid facts about his condition and hopefully, a plan for getting him well."

"Of course," Mom replies. She steps forward giving me her strong, motherly support in the form of a sturdy hug. "We've got this, baby. You go see how we're going to fix our boy."

"Thanks, Mom."

"Nonsense, go. We'll be right here when you get back."

I smile in thanks and turn to follow Carlisle and Dr. Volturi from the room.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

We're seated in Dr. Volturi's office, him behind his desk and Carlisle and I across from him, when the reality hits me. My worst fears are about to be confirmed. The dread is welled up inside me like a bomb. If I don't hear the facts before long, I might explode.

Dr. Volturi clears his throat and begins. "Ms. Swan, Bella, if I may?"

I give him a nod.

"Bella, Jacob is very sick right now. When Carlisle first consulted with me on this case, the symptoms seemed as though they were for a less severe case. Now, having reviewed both sets of blood work, I've come to the conclusion that he is indeed very sick."

I huff. "I understand that, Dr. Volturi."

He interrupts. "Please, call me Alec. We'll be working very closely for the next while and I want us to feel comfortable with each other. I realize you have a close relationship with Dr. Cullen, but I hope, for Jacob's sake, that you'll trust me just as much."

I hesitate before giving a slight nod of agreement. "Very well, Alec. I understand that Jake is sick. Actually sicker than we originally thought, but I need you to stop telling me that and just tell me what it means. What our options are. What we're going to do to make my son better."

He picks up a pen and twirls it between his fingers, studying my face. I suppose he's looking for a breakdown on the horizon, but it won't be coming. Not this time. This time I'm going to channel all of the hurt and pain into one thing.

Healing my son.

Finally, he sighs and glances at Carlisle. "The new blood tests reveal that he has very severe aplastic anemia." Carlisle slumps in his seat. Alec turns back to me. "Very severe aplastic anemia means he needs to be admitted until we can get his body producing more red blood cells. He's not making nearly enough."

"Okay, how do we do that?" I ask.

Carlisle faces me and reaches over, placing his hand on my shoulder. "Bella, we can try some medications that may help a little, but it's not an answer to his condition." His grip tightens. "We're only left with two options that will treat his condition effectively."

I gulp. The tone of his voice tells me all I need to know. "What are those options, Carlisle?" I prepare myself to hear his next words.

His grip loosens and he leans back in his spot. Doctor Cullen has returned to the conversation. "There's no easy way to say this, Bella, so I'm going to just spit it out though I think you already know."

I brace myself. "Say it, Carlisle."

He nods. "Jacob has two options available to make a remarkable difference in his condition. They're both fairly similar in process, but the results can be vastly different. First, he can have a blood transfusion. It's a relatively simple process. We'll find a matching donor and give him the transfusion through an IV. The problem with this treatment is that it's only a temporary solution. It will build his red blood cell count for a while, but without his body producing more, they'll just deplete again." He takes his glasses off and wipes his eyes, before putting them back on and taking in a huge lungful of air. "Our best option is going to be a blood and marrow stem cell transplant."

I absorb his words, allow them to penetrate my mind, break into the deep recesses that had refused to believe. Okay, I can do this. _We_ can do this. "And if we do the transplant?" I ask.

Carlisle smiles. "Bella, if we can find the proper donor, Jake has a chance at a full recovery. Not just a temporary solution for the situation, but entirely cured of this condition."

Relief takes hold and I allow it to bloom. "He can be cured?" My joy is overflowing, and my body is barely able to contain it.

Alec breaks into my moment. "Bella, I need you to slow down for a minute. Yes, Jacob can be cured, but _only_ with a matching donor. Sometimes, that's not easy to find. Does he have any siblings?"

Carlisle answers for me. "He doesn't. Jake is an only child."

Alec nods. "Well, that's our best chance, but there's always the chance that any family member could be a match. Everyone will need to be tested, on both sides of his family."

Now I'm the one to feel uncomfortable. "Um, I'm afraid that's not going to be possible."

Alec looks at me like I've sprouted two heads. "What do you mean not possible? Bella, for Jake to have every chance of recovery he needs everyone related to him to be tested. The best chance for a match is a sibling, beyond that is a family member. Do you know the odds of finding a perfect stranger that's a match? It's a very low number."

I can't believe this is happening. The one time I'm selfish and did something simply because I wanted it for myself, it's going to come back and haunt me in ways that I never imagined possible.

Carlisle breaks into my reverie. "Bella, I think, under the circumstances, we can contact the clinic and get the necessary information."

I sigh. "But, Carlisle, whoever donated, did it anonymously for a reason. They didn't _want_ to be acknowledged or contacted as a father. They got paid some money and left some sperm, with the agreement that the receiver would never know who they were, or ask anything of them."

"Bella," Alec says softly. "Everything you just said is true, but is that more important than your son getting well? Maybe he even has a sibling out there who can cure him." The excitement and hope well up in his voice.

"Think of the possibilities, Bella. It may be Jake's only chance," Carlisle adds.

I consider what they're saying. Of course, I'll do it in a heartbeat if it means it's the only option, but right now I'm not sure that's the case. "I'll tell you what. I'll agree that you can contact them and find out the procedure for getting that information." I motion to Carlisle. "But, before we make any more moves in that direction, we test everyone in my family."

"Of course. That's sounds reasonable. I'll contact the clinic this afternoon," Carlisle agrees. "But for now, I want every single family member you can get in touch with to get down here and get tested. I'll set it up where anyone needing the test can come straight to the outpatient department and get it done." He reaches over and grasps my hand. "Bella, we're going to do everything in our power to have Jake well again. If no one tests positive right away, we'll give him a blood transfusion to keep him healthy until we can find a match."

The relief I feel at knowing I have this man on my side is palpable. Both as Jake's doctor and someone who cares deeply about him. He and Esme have become Jake's second set of grandparents these past few years, so I know he'll never give up. He'll fight beside me until there is no fight left.

I allow the tears I've been holding in, to come, but only a few. They're tears of relief. Tears of hope. Tears of chance. My baby has a chance, and that's all I can hope for right now.

"Thank you, Carlisle." I turn to Alec. "And you, Alec. Both of you gave me something I wasn't sure was an option after today. Hope. Thank you both, so much." I sniffle.

Alec stands and hands me a tissue. "You're welcome, Bella. Nothing makes a physician's job better than being able to cure a patient. I'm going to get a nurse to meet you in the ER and draw you and your family's blood right away. Jake will be moved to a regular room after that's done."

I wipe my face and stand, holding out my hand for Alec to shake. "Nice to have you on board, Doctor."

He smiles the first genuine smile I've seen all day. "Nice to be on board. I'll come by Jake's room later."

I withdraw my hand and follow Carlisle from Alec's office.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

Two days later finds me at Jake's bedside while he watches Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on Disney Channel. Hearing his laughter and seeing his smile makes my whole day brighter. He's still tired and napping on and off, but at least he's my smiling, happy boy when he is awake.

After returning to Jake's ER room that first night, I was pleased to find Alice and Jasper there with my parents. Alec sent a nurse along and she was able to get samples from all of us, even Jasper. Shortly after, we were moved to this room, where between my family and the doctors, we're barely alone.

Yeah, I said it. Doctors. Dr. Volturi, or Alec as he insists I call him, is a frequent visitor. He's a driven man who has made Jake a big priority in his caseload. He comes by several times a day monitoring Jake's condition and ordering tests to check his red blood count. I can't express how grateful I am to have two men as devoted to Jake's care as he and Carlisle are.

Voices reach me just before they enter. "Hey, Carlisle, Alice, what are you doing here?" I ask the latter, as I get up to go hug them both.

Carlisle speaks up. "I called and asked her to come sit with Jake while we go down to Alec's office and talk." He's avoiding my eyes, so it must be serious.

"Um, okay. Is it about our blood tests?"

He gives a slight nod. "Yes, we have the results."

I understand already. None of us were matches. It's written as clear as day on his face and in the avoidance of his eyes. "We weren't matches were we?"

"Bella, this is something we need to discuss"—he glances at Alice and lowers his voice—"alone."

I nod and then walk over to Jake and give him kisses. "Mama's going to talk to Carlisle for a minute. Aunt Alice is going to sit with you. Is that okay?"

He notices our visitors then. "Aunt Alice, you come see me?"

She steps over and slides up beside him on the bed. "I sure did. What are we watching?'

I give him one final kiss on the forehead and leave him to catch Alice up on what he's watching on TV.

Following Carlisle down the hall doesn't bring dread this time. Only acceptance. Acceptance that I may have to do something I never imagined. Find the man who donated his sperm. What will he think when he's contacted? Will he be pissed? Does he have a wife? A family? All these worries swirl in my head as we enter Alec's office.

Surprisingly, he's not even here.

Carlisle motions to a chair and takes the one beside it, turning it to face me. He grabs both my hands in his and looks me directly in the eyes. What I see in his, steals my breath. It's not just disappointment, it's sorrow.

Deep, heart-wrenching sorrow.

Frown lines form on my head, as I can't imagine the test results bringing about this type of pain. "Carlisle, what is it? Is there something new on Jake? Did his new test results get worse? Is he not even eligible for the transplant now?" I'm rambling like a mad woman, but I need his answers. The dread coming from him, bringing about my own.

He squeezes my hands tighter. "Bella, no. It's none of that. Jake is still eligible for the transplant." I sag in relief. "But, there's something else. Something I don't even know how to say."

"I don't understand. If Jake's not worse, then why are you looking at me this way? With a face filled with trepidation and sorrow. Please, Carlisle, what is it?" I implore.

He takes a deep breath and starts rambling. "The test you and your family took. Bella, they were HLA molecular typing tests. They're DNA based. I don't know how this is even possible, I even went personally and made them rerun the test in front of me. I saw the results myself, but I just don't know how it's possible."

I give his hands a jerk to bring him out of his mumbling. "Carlisle," I grit. "I don't understand what you're going on about. What results did you see for yourself?" I grip his hands tighter. "Please."

He pulls his hands back and places one on each of my cheeks. He looks directly into my eyes, wetness already filling his. "Bella, Jacob is not your son."

* * *

 **This won't be a big 'who done it' mystery**

 **This is the story of how two families face the unimaginable and move forward.**

 **See you Monday!**


	5. Yield

**Disclaimer:** _ **I don't own Twilight and I LOVE your reactions to last chapter! Let's see how this all unfolds :)**_

 **Thanks so much to Fran for making my chapters prettier and please know that I do tweak and twerk, so ALL mistakes are my own! Thanks Lissa, Judyblue, and Michele for leaving me comments so I can make this even better!**

* * *

 ****Possible slight tear warning?**

 **BPOV**

I tilt my head and think he's gone mad.

Not my son?

That's not possible. I carried him for nine months, of course he's mine. I reach up and place my hand on his forehead. "Carlisle, are you sure you're not coming down with something?"

He moves his head back out of my reach and drops his hands to his lap, his eyes follow. "No, Bella, I'm not coming down with something." He looks back to me. "Jacob is _not_ your son."

I recoil as if I've been slapped. "What the fuck do you mean, he's not _my_ son." My words are harsh and cold, but he made them that way by spewing this nonsense.

He stands and starts pacing in the small space available. His movements are frantic, almost crazed. He stops and turns to me. "I don't know what I mean, well I _do_ , but I don't know _how_! The test, Bella! Your DNA is not a match to Jake. _At all_."

I think he's finally flipped. Working with someone he cares about so much has made him lose his mind. "Carlisle, I'm sorry. I didn't realize working on Jake's case would affect you like this. Make you stressed to the point that you're talking nonsense." I stand and walk over to him, hoping to bring some calm. "It's okay. I understand if you need to hand him over to Alec. I won't be mad, I promise. I know I said I wou—"

He grabs my arms, maybe a little too forcefully. " _No,_ Bella. _Jacob_. _Is. Not. Your. Son. Period_!" he says into my face, enunciating every single word clearly and each one filled of pain and sorrow.

He releases his grip and turns to pace again, only this time I stop him in his place. "How could you say that, Carlisle? How could you be so sick and twisted?" I start for the door. I'm done. Done with this bullshit conversation and done with being away from my son.

He grabs my arm, stopping my progress. "Stop it! Just stop it and listen to me, Bella." Then in a softer voice. "Please."

I turn and cross my arms. "I don't know if there's anything you can say to make this better, Carlisle. You've completely lost all my trust with this bullshit. And I can't understand why you'd even do it."

Scrubbing his hands over his face he lets out a small growl. Then he takes my hand and leads me to my chair once more. He reaches over on Alec's desk and retrieves a file. Opening it, he finds exactly what he's looking for and places it in my hand, then sits and pulls his chair over beside mine.

Pointing to the paper in front of us, he starts explaining what it says. "Do you see this right here? This is your DNA code compared to Jake's." His finger slides over to the words opposite that set. "See this right here? Read what that says."

I follow his finger across the page with my eyes and focus on the words displayed there. No, it can't be. That's not possible. "That's not possible, Carlisle."

He sighs and grabs my hand. "Bella, I understand what you mean, but this test is correct. I made them rerun it with me overseeing the results. Somehow, someway, that boy you've raised as your own, isn't yours."

My body retreats from his words. Drawing in on itself and crumpling into a tiny ball of nothingness. My mind races with ways to deny. Deny his words. Deny the notion. Deny this could possibly be happening. But it's there in plain words on the page. _No DNA match_. Somehow the impossible has become possible.

The nothingness begins to expand. It swells and explodes into a fire. A fire that overtakes my whole being. When I can contain it no more, I explode. I snatch my hands away and stand tall. "That test is wrong! You need to recheck it! Again and again until it's right!"

Carlisle stands and comes over, approaching slowly and carefully. He takes me in his arms and I break. I break for the mother in me whose son is no longer hers. I break for the son I love, who doesn't belong to me. I break for the boy out there somewhere that I did carry, wondering where he is and how this happened.

I cry and I yell and I beg.

I beg that it isn't true.

All the while knowing that it is.

The rage starts to build.

My fists start pummeling. They pummel and rage against a man who holds no fault, but was the one to tear my world apart. To break my very existence. He's ripped me in two. Two halves that might never be whole again. One half aching for the son she's raised. The other aching for the son she's never met.

"Why, Carlisle, why," I scream into his chest, between howls of pain. He hugs me tighter. "How could this be happening? What did I do to deserve this? What?" And then it hits me. I pull back and collect myself as much as I can. "What about Jake? What is this going to do to him? My little boy who's never done anything to deserve this."

The tenderness in his eyes is more than I can bear. He wipes my face and pushes my tear soaked hair back behind my ears. "Bella, listen to me. This isn't going to affect Jake, we won't let it. He's still going to need you. You have to be strong. We have to find out what happened and how it happened, but in the end, you've raised Jake. He'll always be your little boy." He sighs. "But there is another little boy out there somewhere that you carried for nine months. Don't you want to meet him? Make sure he's happy and well taken care of?"

"I'm scared, Carlisle." I sniffle.

"I know you are, sweetie. Hell, I'm scared and it isn't even me it's happening to. For now, we're going to do everything in our power to find that donor for Jake. And that includes finding his biological family. His best chance may be out there right now, a sibling running around."

With his words come acceptance. Acceptance that I need to do whatever it takes to save my little boy. My amazingly, sick three-year-old boy. "What do I do? Where do we start?"

"Call your father. This is a criminal case. I'll talk to Ms. Hale, the hospital chief of staff, and inform her of the situation. I can't imagine this happened after he went home, so it must've happened here, in this facility."

I nod and pull myself together even tighter. I'm going to have to dig deeper than ever before to find my strength. I focus on Jacob, sitting here in this hospital, watching cartoons with Alice. Right then I decide that his needs outweigh my own. He's the most important thing in my world, and he needs me to stand strong and fight for him.

Fight for his life.

I take out my cell phone and call my dad. He answers almost immediately. "Hey, Bella. How's our little man doing today?'

I hesitate for one second before sucking it up and doing what has to be done. "Dad, I need you and Mom to come to the hospital as soon as you can get here." I take a deep breath. "I also need you to bring your finest detective."

"What's going on, honey?" When I don't respond right away, he continues. "Bella, you're scaring me. Why would you need a detective?"

"Please, Dad. I need you to do this and I'll explain everything when you get here. Please, hurry." My voice cracks.

"I'll be there in ten." The steeliness of his voice, brings about a calm I desperately need right now. Commissioner Swan is on the job.

"Thank you." I end the call, with a new feeling overtaking my soul.

Optimism.

If this is what I have to do to give my son the best possible chance at a healthy, happy life, then so be it. He'll never not be my son. I make that vow to myself, right now in this very second. But who am I kidding? I have another son out there somewhere, one that I carried inside my body for nine months. I want to find him; I need to find him and the family who's raising him. Not just for Jake's health, but for my own sanity as well.

"Bella," Carlisle says.

I turn to him. "Dad says he'll be here in ten."

He nods. "Good. I just got off the phone with Ms. Hale. She's very shocked at the situation and wants us to meet her in her office in an hour. She's going to access the files from Jake's birth date and see what she can uncover."

I start thinking like a person scorned. Scorned by the very hospital I'm standing in at this very moment. The very same one my son is admitted in. "Are you sure we can trust her to be honest and forthcoming? To care more about me and my son's future than that of this hospital?"

He glances around the room, before meeting my eyes again. "I don't know for sure, Bella. She's an outstanding chief of staff, but it is her job to work in the best interest of this hospital."

I roll my eyes. "Well, surely the best interest of this hospital is to find out what happened, and do whatever they can to facilitate a meeting between myself and the other family." I raise a brow. "Unless they want to be sued for their incompetency."

He chuckles. "Atta girl." Then he walks over to stand in front of me. "Bells, we will get through this. I promise. Together, as a family."

I reach around and hug him. Taking from him all the support he's offering. "As a family," I whisper.

My cell rings, breaking us out of our moment. "Hey, Dad. We're in Dr. Volturi's office. Can you make your way up here? Oh and have Mom call Alice and let her know I need her to stay with Jake a while longer."

"Sure, honey. We'll be up shortly." I end the call and prepare myself for the conversation to come.

When they arrive, Dad introduces us to Detective McCarty. I ask them to sit, but Detective McCarty stands to listen and observe without input until we're completely done. I make sure he understands that although this is a police matter, my father is here as both support for me and as the commissioner, for the conversation that is about to take place.

When everyone is settled and ready to listen, I ask Carlisle to explain. He takes a seat on the corner of Alec's desk and begins the tale. He goes all the way back to the tests my family and I participated in. They sit there nodding along as he describes the process of finding a match. When he gets to the part where none of our results resembles a familial match, their faces begin looking confused.

He tells them a much more detailed account than he was able to give me, amid his ramblings and sorrow over having to deliver the news at all. It seems that when none of our results showed any similarities, the lab technician became confused. Apparently, there should have been some matching factors. Our tests were reading as if we were random strangers. The tech became suspicious and ran a DNA test between mine and Jacob's samples.

When he finishes explaining the results of the DNA test to my parents, my Mom interrupts his explanation. "What does that mean, Carlisle?"

He glances to me and at my nod, he answers her question. "Renee, it means that Jacob is not Bella's biological son."

She gasps. "What? How is that possible?"

My dad stands up and in one swift move, has Carlisle snatched up by his lab coat. "What the fuck do you mean he's not her son? You sick son of a bitch! I'll have you arrested and your license revoked for this fucking lunacy you twisted motherfucker!"

"Dad!" I grab his arms. "Stop it! He's not lying. Please, listen to him." I continue pulling as I watch my words register in his brain. Slowly, he allows his grip to loosen and I pry his hands from Carlisle. "Daddy, Jacob isn't the baby I gave birth to."

He sits as if in a coma, while my mom cries beside him, as Carlisle finishes his account of what we know so far and what our next move is going to be. When he's finished, my mom stands and crosses over to me, grabbing me in the fiercest hug imaginable. It's my turn to comfort her. I shush and hug her until she's spent. Slowly she pulls back and the acceptance is clear.

Time to move forward.

We both walk over to my dad and with one on each side we offer comfort. Normally, he's big, bad Commissioner Swan, but right now he's just a man who's been delivered a devastating blow. We offer quiet words of love and optimism until his reflexes kick back in.

He jumps up, cop mode fully intact, and begins demanding. "Detective McCarty!"

"Yes, Commissioner?"

"I want you on this case full force. Nothing else matters. I want to know how in the fuck this happened and whoever is responsible arrested. You got that?" my dad rants. "You'll go to this meeting with Bella and Carlisle and put the pressure on the chief of staff. I want answers!" He slams his fist into his hand.

"Yes, sir."

My dad turns to me. "Come here, baby girl." I walk into his open arms. "I don't know how this happened, but I intend to find out. I'm going to let you lead in how you want it handled, but it will be handled. You hear me?" I nod into his chest. "Daddy's going to do everything in his power, which I might add is a lot"—he chuckles at his own joke—"to make this okay for you and Jake."

I hug him a little tighter before letting go and pulling back. "I love you, Daddy."

"Love you, baby. Now your old man's got some work to do." He turns to Mom. "What are you going to do?"

"I think I'm going down to visit with Jake and Alice." She turns to me. "I'll see you when you get done, okay?"

I nod and she and my dad exit the office, leaving Detective McCarty behind. On the walk up to Ms. Hale's office, Carlisle and I learn that Detective McCarty is really Emmett McCarty and he's thirty-eight and still single. More like married to his job. He's known around the precinct as the grizzly bear, because he's all good until you poke him, then he attacks.

When we arrive, Ms. Hale's secretary lets us know she's waiting for us in her office. Carlisle knocks lightly, then opens the door leading us inside. "Rosalie, thank you for meeting with us so soon," he says, as he walks over and shakes her hand. "Allow me to introduce you to Bella Swan." He points to me and then to Emmett. "And this is Detective McCarty."

Her face, which was open and smiling, goes to blank and closed off with the introduction of Emmett. "Hello, nice to meet you both. Won't you all have a seat," she says stiffly, motioning to the chairs across from her desk.

Once everyone is seated, Carlisle opens the conversation. "Rose, I'm sorry to have to be the one that brought this to your attention. Believe me, we'd much rather it never happened."

I speak up. "Carlisle, I can't make that claim. Had it never happened, I wouldn't have had the opportunity to love Jacob. I would never wish that not be the case." I turn to Ms. Hale. "I do, however, have another son out there and knowing that, I _must_ find him. I _need_ to find him and Jacob _needs_ to find his blood relatives."

Ms. Hale clears her throat and nods. "I understand Ms. Swan, but you do understand that the other child out there"—she waves her hand—"does have a family that raised him and thinks of him as his own, right?"

I have to stop and let those words sink into my brain. My child, the son I carried, has another set of people that he knows as his mom and dad. He doesn't even know who I am. It's a crushing blow, one I hadn't considered. And those parents, they're Jake's real parents, and he needs them to possibly save his life. Someone else carried him for nine months. The realization is both unsettling and terrifying.

I swallow and nod. "I do."

"Okay, with that being said, I did look through hospital records for the day of Jacob's birth. I was able to identify another boy baby born two minutes earlier than him."

Hope swells in my chest and at the same moment my fear of the unknown rises to the surface. "So what do we do next?"

She sits back in her seat and studies me for a few seconds. "They no longer reside in Seattle. At this point I've left a message in hopes they will return my call. _If_ they do, I'm going to insist they make a trip to Seattle for a meeting," she says, in a confident voice.

I allow my eyes to slide to my lap, before looking at her once more. "And until then?"

"Until then, we wait."

* * *

 *****I could've made a whole nother chapter tracing down the mistake, but let's face it, we're all ready to get to it, so without further ado ...**

 **Guess who's next?**

 **See you Saturday!**


	6. Rough Pavement

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight and poor Carlisle. He did have it rough last chapter, but this is an unimaginable situation and we can only guess how we'd react. Really we haven't a clue, but this is my Bella's reaction and, for me, disbelief is very plausible no matter 'who' delivers the news.**

 **Thank you Fran for making my words prettier and Michele, Judyblue and Lissa for making me really consider my words.**

* * *

 **Let's meet Edward shall we?**

 **EPOV**

"Thank you for your time, could you send the next candidate in, please?" I tell the idiot chef who's walking out the door.

I'm in the process of opening my own restaurant, remodeling, and interviewing for the sous chef position. It's been a revolving door of morons today. I can only hope this next one will be better.

When he enters my office, I sit back and appraise him. He's dressed in a suit and tie, holding his resume. He approaches my desk, holding out his hand. "Chef Masen, so glad to finally meet you."

I stare at him and don't move a muscle. Seeing my resistance, he lays his resume on my desk and takes the chair across from me. "I was so excited when this opportunity arose; the chance to be head sous chef in your new restaurant is high on my list of priorities. I just loved your creations at _Bleu_ ," the prick rambles, kissing as much ass as possible.

I snort. "Look, Mr. Suck Up, if you were excited about this opportunity, you'd have come in here prepared."

Frown lines form on his brow. "I am prepared. I have an excellent resume."

I bark out a laugh. "Do you think I give a fuck what your resume says? I'm looking for someone to be my right-hand in the kitchen. You come in here wearing a suit. A fucking suit for Christ sake!" I grip my hair. "You didn't even wear your chef's jacket. What kind of chef comes to an interview not prepared to cook? I'll tell you what kind … The kind that doesn't get the job. Now get the fuck out." I point to the door, disgusted he even calls himself a chef.

I fling his resume across the room, only to watch it float to the floor a few feet away. Fucking idiot. I'm glad he was the last interview for today. It didn't help with my search, but I've about had all I can take of idiots for one day. I glance at my watch, it's almost time to go pick up Seth anyway.

Seth is my three-year-old little dude. Maria and I were married straight out of college and we both had big dreams. Mine was to open my own restaurant while hers was to shop my inheritance away. I can see that now, but then, you couldn't tell me anything. It wasn't until she found out she was pregnant that things started becoming clearer.

She came to me all teary eyed as if she'd heard the worst news ever. Come to find out, it was the best news ever. She never saw it that way, though. I realize now that I'm lucky she carried him to full term. He wasn't even six months old when she announced she was divorcing me.

I was pissed.

How could she look at our son, who favors her so much, and want to walk away? I can't imagine it, but she did. I gave her a nice sum of money, so she signed the papers and walked out the door.

We haven't seen her since.

Good fucking riddance!

I take my chef's jacket off and grab my keys before making my way to the car. It's been a long, tiring day and I just want to lay my eyes on my son. He makes every day worth it. I want to be able to show him that even though he'll never have to worry about money, he should want to chase his dream.

Whatever that turns out to be.

My parents were none too pleased to find out that, after obtaining a degree in Business Management, I'd taken a job as a line cook at a restaurant in Seattle. It was bad enough that I'd followed Maria there for college since she had a full scholarship, but then, to 'waste my degree' to be a cook, they weren't happy. But I love cooking. It's where I find my solace. By the time Seth was born, I'd already worked my way up to sous chef.

When Maria walked out, though, I packed up and came home, back to Chicago. I already missed my family and wanted them to be a big part of Seth's life. We settled in, and it was almost like I'd never left. They didn't hold Maria against me and they embraced Seth like the grandson and nephew he was meant to be.

When I arrive at Miss Lou's, I can see all the kids running around in the play yard. Lou Mallory opened this daycare/preschool in the fifties. It was a time when most mothers stayed home with their kids, but for those few that didn't, she created Miss Lou's Place.

She was a woman way ahead of her time, and even my dad had attended her school. She's long since passed, but her legacy is still up and running and in the care of her daughter Lauren. She's a rotund woman in her sixties and has held on to her mother's standards. There was never really another option when it came time for Seth to attend.

I watch my little man as he runs in a game of chase with his friends. His hair's sopping with sweat and his cheeks are flushed. Wide open, he flies around the yard. Miss Lauren notices me and comes over. "Edward, so good to see you, my boy." She reaches across the fence and gives me a one-armed hug.

"Miss Lauren, how have you been? Do these kids have you pulling your hair out today?" I chuckle and turn my eyes back to locate Seth.

She turns to watch with me. "Of course not. I love making my mark on the world, one young mind at a time."

I glance at her and raise a brow. "You brainwashing my kid?"

She cackles. "Never, Edward. Just remember, I was doing preschool before preschool was even cool."

"True, and I can't thank you enough. Seth comes home all the time with new things he's learned during the day."

Out of the corner of my eye, I catch Seth taking a spill. He puts his hands down in front of him and slides about a foot across the ground. Miss Lauren jumps and starts toward him.

I grab her arm. "Wait a minute, give him a chance. You can't be babying them all the time. After all he is my boy, and you know I hated to be babied when I was that age." Miss Lauren taught me and my brother both when we were young.

We watch as Seth looks around; stunned that he just face-planted. He then gets up and dusts himself off before taking off again. "See, my boy's tough." I smirk at her.

She nods. "He is, I just don't know where all that clumsiness even came from. You always ran faster and played harder than all the other kids. Maybe he's just an intellectual?"

I shake my head. "I know, right? That kid seems smarter than I remember being when I was his age. I guess he got that from his mom, she did get a full ride to college."

She tsks. "Too bad she doesn't want to be around. You've got an amazing boy there."

I nod. "Don't I know it and we don't need her anyway. She left and lost that chance."

She shakes her head sadly. "All little kids need a mother."

I cross my arms. "Not Seth. He's perfectly fine without her."

She hmphs but doesn't say anything else.

I check my watch. "Seth," I yell to get his attention. "Come on, dude, we need to get going." I look to Miss Lauren. "A pleasure, as always." I give her my most charming smile and go to the gate to greet my little guy.

I open the gate for him and make sure to lock it immediately so none of the other kids can get out. Before we can make our way to the car, I hear someone calling to me.

I turn and stop when I realize Gina's running our way with Seth's backpack in her hands. "Here's Seth's backpack. I didn't want you to leave it behind," she says panting and out of breath.

I raise a brow. "Well, I'm sure he could've just gotten it tomorrow, Gina," I say, reaching over to take it from her.

She freezes in her spot and her head snaps in my direction. "It's Gianna, my name is Gianna."

I meet her eyes. "Oh, I'm sorry. I must've been thinking about someone else."

"No. there's no Gina here. I've been working here since before Seth started," she says, with a fake smile.

I could really care less. You don't shit where you eat, or in this case where your son eats. I don't care what her name is or how nice her rack is, I don't want to know her. "Oh, sorry, guess I forgot."

She leans over the fence and puts her hand on my arm. "No, problem." She bats her lashes. "Maybe we could do something to correct that?"

I step back out of her reach. "No, I don't think so." I grab Seth's hand and turn to leave. "Later, Gina," I toss back over my shoulder, laughing as I walk away.

"So how was school today?" I ask Seth.

"It was good," he answers.

"Yeah? Did you have fun?" We arrive at the car and I open the rear door for him to climb inside.

"I hurt my hand," he says holding it out for me to see.

I chuckle. "Sure did. I saw you eat it out there." I grab it and bring it closer. "Looks okay to me. Do you think you need to go to the doctor?"

He yanks his hand back. "No way! It _don't_ hurt."

I make sure he's buckled in and tousle his hair. "I know, dude. How about we pick up some pizza and head to Uncle Jay and Aunt Vic's house?"

"Shoot yeah!" he exclaims, pumping his fist in the air.

We stop by, pick up two, Chicago deep dish, and make our way to James and Victoria's house. James is my older brother by two years. Funny thing is, we got married about the same time, only he got lucky with Vic. She's a great wife and mom. They have two boys, one older and one younger than Seth, with a baby girl due in eleven weeks.

I talked to Jay earlier and am in need of some advice. I've gotten a couple messages this week and hope he can help me decide how to handle them. They're a little cryptic, but urgent. I honestly don't know what to make of them.

Seth starts unbuckling as soon as the car is off and we're in their driveway. By the time I get his door open, he's already jumping out of his seat. "Slow down, dude. We still have to grab the pizza."

"You got it, Daddy. I'm gonna go see Joseph and Jared," he informs me, already walking toward the front door.

I shake my head at him and grab the pizza from the front seat. When I make it to the door, Vic already has it open. I give her a kiss on the cheek as I pass. "What's up, Vic. I brought pizza."

"Mmm, did you get one with anchovies?" she asks, leaning toward the boxes as if she's going to attack me.

I hold them out of her reach. "Nah, uh, Vic, we can't be making my little niece sick before she gets here." I chuckle at her pout. Of course, I got anchovies. Nobody wants to come between a pregnant woman and her food.

Seth's already run off with the boys, so I place the boxes on the dining room table and look around for Jay. "He's in his office," Vic answers my unspoken question.

I smile and walk over to her, hands already outstretched. "How you doing in there, baby girl? Mommy treating you right? Don't you worry, Uncle E didn't get any of those nasty fish on the pizza. I wouldn't do you like that."

Vic laughs and slaps my hands away. "Go find your brother. He says you're in need of some brotherly advice."

I snort. "What's he doing, reading up on how to give it?"

She rolls her eyes. "Go on, he's waiting for you."

I make my way down the hall to his office. When I get there, I tap twice before opening the door and peeking in. "What's up, bro! You hiding out in here or what?"

He shuffles some papers around on his desk. "Nah, just doing some work and waiting to hear all about this cryptic shit you mentioned."

I shake my head and take a seat across from him. "Man, I don't know what to make of it myself. I'm hoping you can read between the lines better than me."

"Well, let's hear it then," he says, waving his hand impatiently.

I pull out my phone and key up my messages. Putting it on speaker, I select the first one I want him to hear.

" _Mr. Masen, this is Rosalie Hale. I'm the chief of staff at Seattle General Hospital. A situation has come to my attention that involves your family. It's urgent that I speak with you in person. You can call me if you need to make arrangements. My number is 555-555-5555. I hope to hear from you soon."_

Jay's eyebrows rise into his hairline. "Seattle General? What could they possibly want to talk to you about?" He whistles. "And the chief of staff? That's the big gun. Man, what the hell did you do?"

Idiot. "I didn't do anything. I haven't been to Seattle in over two years. The last time I was at that hospital was when Seth was born."

He nods. "Well, she did say, family. So maybe it has to do with that?"

"I don't know what the fuck would cause the chief of staff to call me three years later, though. But, listen, there's another one, from yesterday. That one was Monday." I key up the next message for him.

" _Mr. Masen, it's Ms. Hale again. I'm hoping, since you haven't returned my call, that you're making arrangements or have already arrived in Seattle. I can usually be found at the hospital anytime between seven a.m. and six p.m. I urge you to stop by as soon as possible. There are more formal means to get you here, but I'd like you to come on your own. My number once again is 555-555-5555, see you soon."_

Jay looks at me. "What the fuck does she mean, more formal ways?"

"That's what I was hoping you'd help me with, numbnuts. I mean who does she think she is threatening me like that? I didn't lose anything when I left Seattle. Why the fuck would I go back?" I stand and start pacing, tugging my hair almost painfully.

"Look, man, the simplest thing to do is just call her. Talk to her on the phone and let her know you have no intentions of coming back there," Jay reasons. "Hell, they're two hours behind, just call her now." He motions to my phone lying on his desk.

I stop and plop back in my chair. It can't hurt, right? I pick up my phone and select her number before pressing send. "Mr. Masen, I was hoping I'd hear from you voluntarily."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" I snap.

She sighs into the line. "It means, Mr. Masen, it's imperative that you come to Seattle. I thought I'd made that clear."

"You haven't made anything clear. All you've done is left cryptic messages on my phone all week," I reply.

"Look, I don't mean to be evasive, but our conversation is over a very sensitive topic; one that must be discussed face-to-face," she says seriously

"Sensitive topic? Why can't you just spit it out, lady! I don't have time for more ambiguous bullshit!" I smack my hand on the desk.

"Can I assume that you've at least booked your flight," she asks.

"Booked a flight? Hell, no! I'm not booking shit until you tell me what the fuck this is about!" I demand.

The line is silent while she considers her response. Finally, she speaks. "Mr. Masen, this is about your family. It's urgent that you come here so we can talk face-to-face." She pauses. "I can have you subpoenaed if necessary, but I'd rather not. Truthfully, that will make it worse for all of us."

I sigh. "Make what worse, Ms. Hale? All you're doing is talking in circles."

"It's just a flight. One, little plane trip and all of your questions will be answered. Can you do that Mr. Masen?" she asks quietly, more subdued than she's been the whole conversation.

Do I want answers? I realize that I do. This has been nagging at me all week. "All right, Ms. Hale, you've convinced me. This better be something of grave importance for you to drag me from my responsibilities at home."

"I assure you, Mr. Masen, you'll definitely agree when you hear what I have to say. When can I expect you?"

"I'll have to look at flights, but I'd say earliest is tomorrow afternoon or maybe even Saturday. Can you work with that, Ms. Hale?" I ask sarcastically.

"Just phone me when you arrive. And I'm sorry, Mr. Masen." The line goes silent and I pull the phone away and notice that she ended the call.

"I take it you're headed to Seattle?" Jay asks, eyebrows raised.

I blow out a breath. "Seems that way."

"What about Seth?"

I grab my hair. "I have no fucking idea. Shit's all twisted up in my head right now."

"Don't worry about him," he soothes. "Vic and I have him. Go find out what the fuck's going on and let us know something as soon as you can."

I sigh in relief and give him a firm nod.

I guess I need to look up flights to Seattle.

* * *

 *****As for why there was no consideration of the clinic making a mistake. Bella used a sperm donor. This means she was inseminated with sperm into her uterus during ovulation. It was her egg in her body that was fertilized, and Carlisle knows this as he is a doctor.**

 **So that's Edward and we'll continue with him next chapter.**

 **See you Thursday!**


	7. No U Turn

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight and yep, Edward has arrived in Seattle.**

 **Thanks to Fran for beta'ing these chapters so you can get them regularly! And to Judyblue, Michele and Lissa for reading my words and giving feedback.**

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 **EPOV**

I arrived in Seattle late yesterday evening and I should've met Ms. Hale then, since I couldn't sleep for shit. My mind churned all night long, making me restless and uneasy. This bitch, better hope her reasons are just, because I might strangle her if it turns out to be nothing.

After booking my flight, we set up a meeting for this morning at eleven a.m. It's barely seven and I've already been up for hours. The sleep I did get was filled with nightmares of Maria pretending to care about Seth to get me back. Just thinking about it sends shivers up my spine.

I dress in basketball shorts and a tank and head to the hotel gym to try to work out some of my frustrations. This meeting has me on edge. I can't quite put my finger on it, but I feel like something is coming, something I won't have any control over and it causes a burn to rise in my stomach.

I crave control in every aspect of my life. From cooking, to how my son is raised, to sex, I'm in charge. That's the reason I'm opening my own restaurant. After moving back to Chicago, I landed a job with _Bleu._ It's a fine dining establishment and after the head chef realized my potential, I was able to create my own signature dishes. That lit a fire under me, stoked my passion. Having customers specifically request for me to cook them something unique, made me realize that I have what it takes. So began the process of opening my own place. While I'm still in the early stages, the buzz has already begun.

When I reach the gym, I go straight for the treadmill. First, I need to loosen my muscles and get my heart pumping. After I'm finished there, I go over to the free weights. I lift and curl and bench until I'm a sweating mess. Once the burn in my muscles matches the burn in my stomach, I know it's time to stop.

"Excuse me," someone calls, as I'm about to walk out the door.

I pause and turn, looking for the person who's interrupting my retreat. My eyes land on a tall, strawberry blonde dressed in yoga pants and a tank. She's swaying across the room in my direction.

I lift a brow. "May I help you?"

A sly smirk lifts at the corner of her lip. "I was hoping I could help you."

I allow my eyes to scan her from head to toe. Even with no makeup on, she's a stunning woman; tall, voluptuous frame, highlighted by a nice rack and the bluest eyes I've ever seen. But even with all of that going for her, I can't muster up a response. I don't feel it. I don't feel anything beyond this burn in my stomach, it's taken over and won't be sated until I know why I'm here.

"I'm sorry, I don't think that's possible today. Maybe on a different day under different circumstances," I say, giving her the most charming smile I can muster. With a nod, I turn and leave her standing there with a confused expression on her face.

When I make it back to my room, I decide to shower and head to the hospital. So what if I'm a little early? I pull into a spot and turn my rental off, then I just sit there, gripping the wheel tightly under my fingers. Deep breaths help to settle my heartbeat, but the burn still remains.

I make my way to the elevators and up to Ms. Hale's floor, the tension building with each step I take. When I arrive at the secretary's desk, she looks up, a slow smile spreads across her face. "Good morning, sir, how can I help you today?"

Is it just me or is every female in sight acting suggestive today? I don't have time for it. "I'm Edward Masen, here to see Rosalie Hale."

She clears her throat and looks embarrassed. "Of course, you can have a seat and I'll let her know you're here."

I nod and go over to the plush chairs to have a seat. I scan the magazine titles on the cherry end table and finally settle on the latest Cooking magazine. After scanning a few pages, I snort and put the magazine back where I found it.

The secretary's head snaps up. "Something amusing, Mr. Masen?" She lifts a brow.

At any other time, I might find this sort of flirtation cute, but not right now. Now I only find it annoying. "If it were, it wouldn't be any of your business. You need to pick up that phone and notify Ms. Hale of my arrival," I snap.

She looks thoroughly abashed before turning her head back to her work. I almost feel sorry, but then I remember the circumstances under which I'm here and anger quickly takes hold. She's a secretary for fucks sake, it's her job.

Finally, she picks up the phone and buzzes Ms. Hale, letting her know I'm waiting. "Ms. Hale says she'll be with you shortly." I nod and pick up another magazine just to keep myself busy and ignore that she's even sitting in the room.

After several more minutes of sitting there pretending, the door to Ms. Hale's office opens. Much to my surprise it's a man that comes out. He's dressed in slacks and a button up and when he walks past, I notice the badge secured to his hip. Maybe some kind of police officer?

The burn intensifies.

 _No way does he have anything to do with why I'm here_ , I reason to myself. It's just a coincidence. I'm early and I just happen to run across her earlier meeting. It could be hospital security or anything. No reason to let my mind go places that aren't warranted.

When Ms. Hale's door opens again, a blond woman who's probably in her late thirties or early forties stands in the doorway. Her eyes widen imperceptibly. "Mr. Masen?" She walks my way with her hand extended. I rise and take hers. "I'm Rosalie Hale, thank you for coming out in person."

I snort. "Did I have a choice?"

She chuckles lightly, but it's laced with something else. Something I can't quite put my finger on. "No, Mr. Masen, you didn't have a choice. I would've gotten you here one way or another."

I withdraw my hand. "You keep saying that, but I can't imagine any reason you could come up with to have a court order me here."

Her face turns somber. "I assure you, after we talk you'll understand." She turns and retreats into her office leaving the door open behind her.

I take the cue and follow her. "Well let's get to it then, I'm tired of all the cloak and dagger bullshit."

She sighs. "I understand that, Mr. Masen, as is evidenced by you coming here. Just please, have a seat and we'll get down to business. Trust me; this is going to be almost as hard for me as it is for you."

"See there it is again." I point to her. "All of these little remarks you keep making! What in the fuck could you possibly have to say to me that is going to be 'hard'?" I make quotations as I say the word. "I didn't lose anything in Seattle when I left and I damn sure never planned on coming back." I cross my arms. "Now you have me here, Ms. Hale, I suggest you start talking before I walk right out that fucking door!"

"Sit," she demands, pointing to the chair on my left.

I obey, but only because I want some goddamn answers. I'm so sick of this fucking bullshit. All she seems to do is piss me off more. Wringing her neck is becoming more likely by the second.

"First, I need to ask about your wife?"

"What the fuck about her?" If that bitch is the reason for this visit, I might have to hunt her down.

She's taken aback at the hostility in my tone. "I mean, where is she?"

"Gone."

"I'm sorry for your loss," she consoles.

I bark out a laugh. "Don't be. She was a bitch who couldn't love her son. Good, riddance."

"Oh, divorced then?" she probes further.

"Look, Ms. Hale, Maria left before Seth was even six-months-old. We haven't seen her since, she has no part in our lives. Is that why I'm here? Something to do with her?"

She shakes her head. "No, I just didn't want to exclude her since this does concern her too, being as she's Seth's mom."

I roll my eyes at the notion. "She's no mom and has signed away her rights. As long as this isn't about her, then it has nothing to do with her."

She nods. "She still may need to be contacted after you hear what I have to say."

I huff. "Not a chance, but go ahead, let's hear it."

"Mr. Masen," she begins. "I don't know any way to prepare you for what I'm about to say, so just spitting it out seems to be the best option."

I give her a nod and brace myself for this 'hard' information.

"I'm going to need you to provide a cheek swab for DNA analysis, and although I know what we'll find, this will make it official," she says, looking me directly in the eyes.

"Make what official? And what the fuck do you mean a DNA swab?" I demand. Here she goes again talking in circles without getting to the point.

"You see, when your son, Seth Masen, was born, there was another baby boy born roughly two minutes behind him." I nod, not understanding what that has to do with anything. She takes a deep breath. "Somehow, these two babies were mixed up before they received their ID bracelets. Seth was given to you and Mrs. Masen, and Jacob was given to another family. I've already gotten the police involved and I can assure you if it was malice, the culprit will be put away."

My mind spins as it repeats her words over and over. The burn that had receded begins to grow and blossom until it's a raging inferno inside. I go over and over her words. _Of course, Seth was given to us, he's our son. And who's Jacob? Why did she even mention him?_

"Ms. Hale, I'm sorry, but I don't understand what you're getting at here. Of course, Seth was given to us," I say, still trying to grasp her words.

"Yes, but that was a mistake. The ID bracelets were put on the wrong babies. Your son isn't really the baby your wife carried. I'm sorry," she apologizes.

The inferno explodes.

I jump from my seat knocking it over behind me. "Who in the fuck do you think you're playing with, Ms. Hale? Did Maria hire you to pull this bullshit prank on me? I'll fucking sue this hospital and have it closing its doors for fucking with me like this!" Spit is flying out of my mouth as I spew all my pent-up rage at her.

She stands to match my position, not backing down. "Mr. Masen, I understand you're upset, but this is no prank. Seth Masen is not your biological son."

"Fuck you, you lying fucking bitch! You can go straight to hell with this bullshit," I fling at her and storm out the door, hearing it smack into the wall with a loud thump as I make my way to the elevator.

My fists are clenching and unclenching as I descend and make my way out of the hospital. It's all I can do to maintain myself with the rage flowing through me. I storm out to my car and straight to the first bar I pass. A good, stiff drink is in order.

I take a seat and get the bartender's attention. "I'll have a shot of bourbon."

He drops it in front of me in no time and I throw it back and slam my glass down. "Make it a double this time."

He lifts a brow, but moves to comply.

"Fancy meeting you here. Different place, different circumstances?" she asks.

I allow my eyes to slide to the voice I already recognize. The strawberry blonde from this morning. I slip my hand over and place it on her thigh, sliding it up to the edge of her skirt. "Is this what you want? To meet a guy in a bar and let him take you home and fuck you? No names, no feelings?" I fist her skirt in my hand. "I'm sorry, I'm not that guy, even on a day like today. _Especially_ on a day like today. Do yourself a favor and get lost." I snatch my hand back and toss my drink down my throat.

The sting of the alcohol only intensifies the burn I've felt all day. I fucking knew that goddamn meeting was a bad idea, but I can't unhear what she said. It's there, churning and sputtering like the lava in a volcano before an eruption. I jerk up from my seat and make my way from the bar. Instead of going to my car I begin walking.

Walking and thinking.

 _My son, my little dude, isn't really mine. But biological or not, he_ is _my son, the boy I've loved and taken care of for three years now. I'm the only parent he's ever actually known and no one can take that away from me. Can they? I have no fucking clue. Have the other parents been notified already? And if so, do they want my son? But_ _then there's another little boy, part of my flesh and blood. Do I want him? Not at the cost of Seth, but he's out there and he might need me. What the fuck am I supposed to do?_

Fuck! I grip my hair tightly with both fists. Too many questions that I don't have answers for. My mind spins round and round until it dawns on me where I might get those answers. Rosalie Hale. I blew it with her and lost my cool, but surely she understands. I imagine it's not every day she tells a parent their child doesn't belong to them and _her_ hospital is at fault.

I stop walking and realize that I'm only a block away from the hospital. Even in this volatile state, my mind knows what I need to do. I use the rest of my walk to center myself. I can't go in there half-cocked and in a rage. I need to be reasonable and assertive. Gaining the answers I need without giving much information about mine and Seth's life.

As I'm standing on the sidewalk in front of the hospital, I take a few deep breaths and release them slowly. The lava that's been building starts to recede. I think of my son at home and what he needs me to do. He needs me to be his dad and that's exactly what I'll do.

Pulling out my cell, I make a call before going in. I need to feel the connection right now. "What's up, bro, you find out what that lady wanted?" Jay asks, in lieu of a hello.

"Put Seth on the phone," I sigh into the line.

"What's crawled up your ass?"

I can't even begin with this shit right now, not when I don't have any answers. "Look, man, just get Seth for me. I'll call you back this evening and we can talk."

"Sounds ominous," he says, then turns and yells for Seth.

I snort. "You think?"

"Come on, man, you can't leave me hanging if it's that bad," he whines.

"Jay, I just can't right now, but I promise you'll hear from me later, okay?" My voice is pleading with him to understand and give me the space I need right now.

"Okay, man, here's the little dude."

"Hey, Daddy, when you comin' home?" Just hearing his voice buries the lava deeper.

I smile to myself. "I don't know, dude. I'll be back as soon as I can though. Are you having fun at Jay and Vic's?"

He goes into tales of watching movies and hide and seek, giving me a play by play of every moment since I left him yesterday morning. The more he talks, the more I relax as I picture him doing everything he describes.

I chuckle when he tells me that he hid for two whole hours while playing hide and seek. "Two hours?"

"Yeah, Daddy. Uncle Jay hadda come find me cause Jared and Joseph couldn't," he says like it's the most obvious thing in the world.

"Wow that was some hiding place." I humor him.

"Yep, it's a secret. I'll tell you if you won't tell nobody."

"Daddy loves you, Seth," I say quietly into the phone. His complete trust, turning me into a sappy father.

"I love you, too. You be home soon?" he asks with hope in his voice.

"Daddy will see you soon." I don't know if I'll be going back to Chicago or bringing him here, but either way, I'll be reunited with Seth as soon as possible. I need him beside me now more than ever. "I'll call you again later, okay?"

"Okay, I'm goin' back to play, bye, Daddy."

"Bye, dude," I say into a silent receiver. He's already ended the call.

My attention focuses back on the hospital; it's now or never. I start walking to the entrance, only this time I'm going in with my eyes wide open.

I'm a man on a mission, a mission for answers.

I casually stroll through the halls and even take the stairs. Everything I can do to soothe myself more. I need the extra minutes. Minutes to get a grip and maintain it.

When I finally arrive on Ms. Hale's floor, I don't even bother with the secretary. Ms. Hale _will_ see me now. I march straight to her door. "Sir, sir, you can't―"

Her words cease as I push the door open and enter the office. There sitting in the chair I'd previously occupied, is a chestnut-haired woman.

Ms. Hale's head snaps in my direction. "Mr. Masen, you're back."

At my name, the woman jumps up and faces me. Her hands cover her mouth as a gasp escapes her lips. "Jacob," she says in a breathy mumble.

I focus on her eyes and see tears gather. Eyes so like my Seth's that I'm caught in a sea of confusion. Those very same eyes roll back into her head before her body goes limp.

I lunge forward, catching her just before she crashes to the floor.

* * *

 ****I was notified yesterday that Sharp Left Turn was voted in the top 5 for the May fic dive at A Different Forest! I had no clue there was even a vote going on and assume it must be some of YOU that voted. So thank you soooo much for liking my fic enough to give it a vote!**

 **Now we have Bella and Edward in the same room, wonder how that's going to go?**

 **See you Tuesday!**


	8. Blasting Zone Ahead

**Thanks so much to Fran for all you do in making these chapters better. The same for my pre-readers, Michele, Lissa and Judyblue. I heart you all!**

 **Special thanks to Ninkita, because you know why ;)**

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 **I honestly have no idea what the reactions will be for this chapter. Can't wait to see!**

 **BPOV**

I feel as though I'm somewhere between the darkness and the light, but I can't get out. I can't remember where I am or even why I'm this way. I just know that my body will not fully comply with my mind's wishes.

" _What the fuck's the matter with her?" A strange male voice breaks through the haze._

" _She fainted," Rose answers him._

Rose? I reach deep into my mind wondering how I know her, and when the memory hits me, a deep, heart-wrenching sadness follows. She's been great to me and very supportive, but I can't be sure if it's genuine or just her need to protect the hospital.

" _Maybe you need to get her a doctor then," the strange voice replies._

 _Rose huffs. "I am a doctor. She just fainted; she'll come around in a few minutes."_

" _Why the fuck would she faint?" the man asks exasperated._

" _Don't be obtuse," Rose tells him. "Isn't it obvious_ who _she is?"_

She stresses the 'who', and I have to wonder why he'd have a reason to know me. I dig deeper into my memories and try to come up with who this man is and why I'm here with him and Rose. I remember yesterday, catching up with Emmett on the case. Is this Emmett? I strain to remember his voice and decide, that no, this isn't him.

 _Finally, the man speaks again. This time there's resignation in his tone. "She's Seth's biological mother."_

Seth? I don't remember a Seth. Am I missing part of my memory? But then my mind focuses on the rest of his sentence. _Biological mother_. The darkness ebbs completely and I'm brought into the light with stunning clarity.

This man is my baby's biological father.

I startle and open my eyes, sucking in a huge gasp of air as the reality hits me. I was in Rose's office so that she could tell me the outcome of their conversation, only there was no outcome; Mr. Masen had stormed out, refusing to believe her. Right before he burst through the door, she'd just informed me that the mother is no longer in the picture. She walked away from him and their son.

My eyes begin to focus on my surroundings. The first thing they take in are the mesmerizing green irises leaning over me. Tears immediately pool in my own. I'm face-to-face with the man who fathered my son. There's no denying it even if I tried, Jacob is his spitting image.

 _Does his son look like me?_

 _Is that what he sees as he stares at me?_

 _Is that confusion in his eyes?_

I can't look away and it seems he can't either. We're locked in a stare-down. A stare-down of grief and consolation. We're the only two people to know this pain. No one else can imagine the feelings that course through our blood at the mere thought of what we're facing. No one else can understand our pain.

Only the two of us.

"Bella, are you okay?" Rose breaks into our moment.

My eyes snap to hers as she leans down in my periphery. Upon further inspection, I realize I'm laid on the floor with my upper half resting in Mr. Masen's arms, my head on his thigh. I immediately start to rise.

She reaches and pushes me back gently, allowing me to relax once more. "No, take a minute to get your bearings. I'm sure Mr. Masen doesn't mind." She cuts her eyes to him.

He shakes his head to clear it and focuses on Rose. "No, no, I don't mind." He glances back to me and looks away again almost immediately. "Take all the time you need."

I take a few steadying breaths before I sit up and slide away from his arms. The room spins slightly, so I brace my hands on the floor. He grabs for me. "Are you sure you're okay?"

I give him a simple nod and allow my eyes to wander around the room. Anything to keep from looking at him, _my_ son, twenty-five years down the road. _His_ son twenty-five years down the road.

We already knew that this couple was Jake's biological parents, as he and Seth were the only two babies born in a four hour period, but seeing Mr. Masen in person makes it one hundred percent real. There's no denying the fact that Jacob is his son, and it's something I've already accepted. Jake needs this. He need his biological family in hopes of giving him something I can't.

My eyes jump back to Mr. Masen and if he notices me staring, he doesn't look my way. I study him closer, wondering if he has another child; one that is my Jake's sibling. And if not, could he possibly have a family member that might be a match? Is he even going to care? I roll my eyes at myself. Of course he'll care, he came back didn't he?

Getting this over with is the only way to find out all those answers, so I slowly rise up to my knees and begin to stand. Mr. Masen jumps up and offers me his hand, which I can't very well ignore. So I accept it, avoiding his eyes.

I don't know how this happened to me. What did I ever do to deserve this? At least I can thank someone―because I'm not sure if I trust God right now―that my son is doing better. He may even get to go home soon. The transfusion along with medications have been improving his condition, although Carlisle and Alec have both warned that it isn't a permanent solution.

When I've gained complete control over my body and the room is no longer spinning, I let go of his hand and take the first steps toward a seat in front of Rose's desk. Mr. Masen follows, sitting in the chair to my right, and Rose takes her seat across from us.

"So good to have you back, Mr. Masen." She lifts her brow at him. "Did you reconsider your thinking?"

His fingers scrub through the top of his hair and they ball into a fist. It looks painful. "What, that you're a lying bitch?" I recoil at his words. Rose didn't tell me that part. "I did reconsider the lying part, but the jury's still out on whether you're a bitch or not."

She takes a deep breath and accepts his words with a nod. "I understand your position and will let that slide … for now, but you need to get your priorities in order. We have much more serious things to discuss."

He releases his death grip on his hair and plants his elbows on his knees, burying his face in his hands for several moments. When he looks back at Rose, most of the hostility has faded from his eyes. "We do. I have questions that need answering."

"I know you do, Mr. Masen, but there's more you need to hear first. You need to understand how this discovery came about and what your son needs from you," Rose tells him seriously.

He tilts his head to the side. "Needs?"

"A long story and one you must hear from the beginning." She turns to me. "Bella, this is Mr. Masen, Mr. Masen, this is Bella Swan."

I have no choice now but to turn to him and extend my hand. "I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, Mr. Masen, since you already know my first name."

He takes it and a chill runs from our clasped fingers all the way down my spine. "My name is Edward, Edward Masen." He withdraws his hand.

"I would say nice to meet you, Edward, but I don't think I could do it with a straight face," I tell him sincerely. Because there's nothing nice about this situation.

He nods in agreement, then chuckles, a deep, dark chuckle. "I concur, Bella. Nothing nice about it at all."

The sound of my name escaping from his lips causes the chill to race back up my spine and creep around my skull. I shiver involuntarily.

"Bella," Rose says gaining my attention. "Could you tell Mr. Masen―"

"It's Edward," he interrupts. "You can both call me Edward."

Rose allows a small smile to lift the corners of her lips. "Thank you, Edward, and you can call me Rose. We'll be working with each other a lot in the near future and it would be nice if we could all act civilized."

He rolls his eyes, but still nods at her request. He then turns to me. "So is there something you're going to tell me to make this all seem real? To make me think it's not just a crazy dream where someone is trying to take my little boy?" The anger seeps into his voice with the very thought, and I can understand it; I've lived it every day since the information was given to me. He's sitting right in front of me this very minute, the one who might try to do that very thing.

I consider my words carefully, I don't want to offend him. The last thing either of us needs is to be unable to work together. "Edward, you have no idea what I've been through, even before learning this news. I assure you, it's real. More real than you could ever imagine, and frankly, I have way more to lose than you at this point."

His face twists up. "How in the fuck could you possibly have _more_ to lose? At least you've had time to let this settle in your mind, I just found out today that my son … _my_ son"―he points to his chest―"isn't really mine. So excuse me if I'm a little mistrusting here, but don't tell me that _you_ have more to lose."

Rose clears her throat. "Obviously Edward is a bit volatile, which is going to make this even harder to get through, but it has to be done." She looks to me. "Will you tell him or would you like me to explain?"

I take a deep breath and release it before I begin. "I'll tell him." I turn in my chair so I'm facing him. I want there to be no mistaking the sincerity of my words. "Jacob, my son"―I shake my head, that's not entirely right―"your son … our son"―I nod, that's the best solution I can muster―"is sick and in need of a bone marrow transplant. There's obviously more to the story, but―"

"Wait, hold the fuck up!" He jumps up and starts pacing. "The kid is sick? Is that what this is? You realize you have a sick kid and you want to trade him out, get yourself one that isn't? Well, I have news for you, sweetheart, that isn't happening. You'll take Seth over my dead body!"

I'm so appalled at his outburst that it takes me a minute to respond, but when the full force of his words hit me, I explode. I jump from my seat and bring my hand back, allowing it to connect with his cheek. His face jerks to the side from the force of the blow and a red splotch begins to form.

"How dare you? How fucking dare you, you motherfucker! _My fucking baby_ "―I beat my chest with my fist―"is lying in this hospital waiting for a donor match and all you're worried about is if I want to trade sons with you. Fuck you! All I need you to do is get tested, get your family tested and then get the fuck out of our lives!" My chest is heaving and tears are streaming down my face―not from pain, but in rage.

He's staring at me as if I've lost my mind. And maybe I have, but he _will_ help Jake if it's in his power, I'll make sure of that.

After opening and closing his mouth several times, he finally speaks. "Maybe you need to tell me the whole story." He sags back into his chair and looks to me, defeat written all over his red-cheeked face. "I'm sorry. I … I don't know what else to say."

What's so bad, is that I get it, I understand. His reaction could've very well have been my own if the shoe were on the other foot. I slowly sit back in my chair and allow my muscles to relax from their tight coil. "I understand, Edward," I say, touching his arm lightly, gaining his attention. "While your words may have been crazy, I can completely understand the sentiment behind them."

He stares into my eyes looking for something, and he must find it. "Thank you, Bella. I don't know if I could be as gracious as you are right now if the situation were reversed."

"I don't think this situation has a precedent. We'll both make mistakes as we go, I'm sure. The important thing will be overcoming them and moving on because I do want to meet Seth and I'd like you to meet Jake. These two boys deserve the chance to be loved by us both. I hope that's something you can consider." I raise a brow, expecting a favorable reply.

He looks away and allows his eye to travel around the room. I give him the time he needs to consider my request. It's an impossible situation and a rash decision will only bring heartache for us all. I'm willing to exhibit patience when it comes to working something out between us, but not when it comes to Jake's life.

When his eyes find mine again they're a little glassy, but that's okay, I've cried more tears since this situation began than ever before. With a small nod from him I gain a new future; one that includes both of my sons, and he gains the same.

"Can"―he clears his throat―"can you tell me everything?"

And I do.

I tell him the whole story about Jacob, and how we came to learn this information, all the way to his current prognosis and the possibility that he might be going home in a day or two. He's riveted to every word and the compassion for Jake and what he's been through is written all over his features.

"I'm sorry, I don't have any other children," he says regretfully. "But I do have a brother with children. Could one of them be a match?"

"We'll need to test everyone in your family if that's possible. Siblings have the best chance, but another member could match," I tell him hopefully.

"I'll call them tonight."

I nod in thanks for his complete cooperation.

He turns to Rose and his expression hardens. "Where does the criminal investigation stand right now?"

"We've singled out all of the nurses on that shift and started interviews with them to see if anyone saw anything suspicious. You know, there is a chance it was an accident."

He jumps up. "I don't give a fuck if it was an accident or not, I want who's responsible to pay. They've fucked up our lives and there need to be repercussions for it!"

"I understand your anger, Edward, and we're going to do everything we can to get to the bottom of it, I assure you."

He snorts. "Well, I'm sorry, _Rose_ , but your assurances mean jack shit to me." He turns and storms out the door.

"Well, that went swimmingly," Rose jokes.

I sigh. "Just give him time to come around. He is right, you know? I've had time to accept it and it's just been thrown at him today."

She seems a little skeptical, but reluctantly agrees. We sit and chat for a while longer. I admire Edward for stepping up while Rose thinks he's no better than any other single mom. Many times, when a woman walks away, the burden falls on the parents of the father. Luckily for Seth, he still has Edward.

That alone makes him a special dad in my eyes.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

When I approach Jake's door a little while later, I can hear a male voice. Not just any male voice, but Edward's. My first thought is to charge in there and ask him what the fuck he thinks he's doing, but as I listen closer I know I can't.

"Oh, yeah? Who's been watching Sam for you?" he asks Jake.

"He's at Nana and Papa's. They take good care of him for me," Jake replies.

"Oh, I bet they do. Your mama says you might be going home soon. Are you excited?"

"Yep, I feels all better," Jake tells him.

He chuckles.

"Just what do you think you're doing, missy?" Comes a voice from beside me.

I jump. Alice is standing there with a smirk on her face. I drag her further down the hall. "Me? What the hell did you think you were doing leaving him alone with Jake?" I demand.

She has the nerve to laugh at me. "Bella, it was obvious who he was. Jake was asleep and I just went to get a cup of coffee. No reason to be pissed."

"What if he was trying to kidnap him, what then?" I almost yell at her.

She laughs harder. "Bella, there's no way he'd even make it off this floor, much less out of the hospital. Besides, with the way that man looks I'd ask him to kidnap me."

Obviously, it's no use so I roll my eyes and give up since Jake is safe. "He is one nice looking man, huh?"

"Honey, if he doesn't already have a sibling for Jake, I think I'd beg him to make one if I were you," she jokes.

Only it's not so funny. Her words spin and turn in my mind until I literally can't believe I'm entertaining the idea, but a sibling is Jake's best chance at survival. Edward made it clear that he has no other kids and cousins may be the best shot in his family. Even a half sibling has a higher percentage of matching than a complete stranger.

I place my hands on Alice's upper arms, forcing her to look directly at me. "Go in there and tell Edward it's time for him to go."

"Bella," she whines. "He's not doing anything wrong."

I stop her there. "Just do it, Alice, I need to talk to him."

She stops protesting and studies my face carefully. "I hope you know what you're doing."

"Just trust me, please," I beg.

"Okay." With a huff, she disappears into Jake's room.

I lean against the wall and wait for Edward to exit. My nerves are jumping all over the place, but this is something that needs to be done.

For Jacob.

When he comes out and notices me, he stops short and looks sheepish. "I'm sorry, Bella. I just ended up here, I didn't plan on it happening. Alice let me hang with him for a little bit. He looks just like me." The smile on his face is radiant.

"Why do you think I fainted?"

His eyebrows rise into his hairline. "That's why you fainted?"

"Yep," I answer simply.

"I thought it was just my good looks." He smirks.

I place my hand on my hip and say nothing.

"So, uh … I guess, um," he stutters.

"Come on, let me buy you a coffee. We need to talk." I link my arm through his and lead him to the stairwell. His brow raises, but he follows me willingly.

This conversation is going to need some privacy, and no one ever uses the stairs.

* * *

 *****So it's not Tuesday. I realized that with a Tuesday update that my next update would land on Sunday, which is my scheduled update day for Witness Seclusion on the Fyremasen account with my writing partner. To prevent updating both on the same day, I decided to post this today. Chapter 9 will come Saturday, but then it will be 6 days before chapter 10 posts to make up for this early update.**

 **I figured if one was going to come early, this is the one you wanted ;)**

 **See you Saturday!**


	9. Merge Ahead

**Thanks to Fran for whipping these chapters into shape and Judyblue, Michele and Lissa who support me as the chapters post, but also help me tweak future chapters.**

* * *

 **EPOV**

I follow her into the stairwell having no idea what the fuck she wants. She's probably going to ream me for visiting Jake, but I didn't do it on purpose. I started walking and that's where I ended up.

 _Standing in that open doorway and laying eyes on my sleeping son, almost knocked me off my feet. Even if I wanted to forget all about this and run home to Seth, I could never. I have two sons now, plain and simple._

 _By the time I noticed Alice's approach, I couldn't hide the tears that had slipped down my cheeks. "Excuse me, sir, what do you think you're doing here?" she demanded._

 _I tried to wipe my face. "I'm, uh, sorry. I was walking and just ended up here."_

 _As she got closer, the recognition dawned and her tone softened. "I take it you've talked to Bella then?"_

 _I nodded, still staring at my son._

" _And was it a good talk?" she probed._

 _I met her eyes. "I think so. I'll be bringing Seth here as soon as I can."_

 _She smiled and tilted her head towards Jake. "Would you like to sit with him for a few minutes?"_

 _The relief I felt at that moment was unmistakable, she was going to let me near my son. I walked over and took her empty chair._

" _I'm going to get coffee. Sit with him until I'm back?" she asked._

 _The smile I gave her was award winning. I'd sit with him all day if she'd let me._

However, now, following Bella down a couple flights of stairs, I find myself reconsidering my actions. I should've waited until she was there to take that liberty. It was hers to give, not mine to take.

I'm fucking shit up already.

When she feels I've been sufficiently tortured she stops and turns. "Have a seat, Edward. This might take a minute."

I raise a brow, but know I had better comply. I lower myself down a couple steps up from the platform she's standing on. It's in between floors, so there's not a door where an instant interruption can occur.

She fidgets her hands, not quite knowing where to put them, before crossing them over her chest, fists tightly balled.

She's nervous, not pissed.

Interesting.

Then it hits me. She probably wants to know about Seth. I've seen Jake―met him, talked to him―and she knows nothing about Seth. I immediately want to ease her mind.

"Bella, I know why you asked me here and don't worry, I'm all for it," I assure her.

Her eyes go wide. "You do? That damn Alice, I'm going to kill her!" She's pacing now, mumbling to herself.

I hold my hands up. "Hey, hey, calm down. There's no reason to be upset. It's a good thing. The right thing to do."

She stops pacing and studies me carefully. "Just like that? No questions asked?"

I'm not sure exactly why she'd think I'd give her problems about bringing Seth here. It's the only thing to do in this situation. Besides, I'm not ready to leave Jake anyway. "Bella, why wouldn't I do it? It's the best thing for all of us."

She sighs. "I don't know. I just thought you'd have questions at the very least and even considered that you might refuse."

"Did I make that bad of an impression? Do you think I'd be so cruel?" I ask her sadly, looking at the floor.

She squats down in front of me to gain my attention. "No, Edward, I'm sorry. It was just a crazy plan my mind came up with on the spot. I didn't know how you'd react. I mean, how do you ask someone you just met to make a baby with you?"

"What!" I jump up, making her have to catch herself to keep from landing on her ass. "What the fuck do you mean make a baby with you?" I'm the one pacing now, back and forth in the tiny landing space.

She rises quickly and steps in front of me, stopping my forward motion. "You said you knew what I wanted to discuss. You said it is the right thing to do," she expresses as if I've already agreed to this craziness.

"I meant bringing Seth out to Seattle. I had no idea you were thinking crazy shit!" I all but yell at her.

She takes a step back. "Oh, of course. Th … thank you. I can't wait to meet him." She turns away from me. "Do you still intend to do that now?" Her voice cracks on the last words.

My shoulders sag, all of the anger fading away. "Of course I am, Bella. You have a right to know him and truthfully, I don't want to leave Jake."

Her eyes snap to mine. "See, you felt it! You have to understand, then. I need to do whatever it takes to give him the best chance. _We_ need to do whatever it takes." Her voice is filled with hope.

Excitement.

The thought that maybe I'm just as crazy as her.

I allow my mind to wander down that road.

Can I do that?

Can I make another child in hopes of saving the one I already have?

There's no way I'd want to trade sons with her, give each back to their rightful owner and walk away. Seth is my son, that'll never change, but he's also hers. Jake's her son, but he's also mine. We're connected for life. Bound by this horrible circumstance. Can I actually think about adding another child to that mix? One that is half mine and half hers?

I allow my eyes to peruse her, to take her in slowly; starting from her feet, I work my way up. She's a stunning woman, whose willingness to do whatever her son―my son―needs, makes her all the more attractive to me. I realize then that I can do this. I can do whatever it takes to save my son.

I approach her, leaving only centimeters between our bodies. "Is this what you really want, Bella? You're sure about this?" I ask softly.

She doesn't shrink back, but looks at me with fierce determination. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

I push even closer still, backing her into the wall. My hands find her hips and my lips lower to her neck. They skim up―goosebumps rise, a whimper escapes. I meet her eyes. "Whatever it takes," I agree, returning my lips to her neck.

"No, no, this isn't what I meant." Her mouth protests, but her body complies. She cranes, inviting me closer.

"Isn't it?" I whisper, allowing my tongue to leave a trail of fire along her already heated skin. My knee slides between her legs as my hands start their journey up her luscious curves, pulling her even closer.

No space left between us.

"I … I …," she breathes out, unable to communicate more.

"Shhh, Bella, I've got you," I soothe, all the while seducing her with my body.

The heat building between us is natural, easy; not forced or strained. My lips burn their way up her neck and down along her jaw. When they finally meet hers, they touch, tentatively at first, a small nip to test the waters.

Her eyes go wide. "Stop! What are you doing?" She pushes me away.

"What do you mean what am I doing? This is what you wanted, isn't it?" I pull my hand through my hair trying to calm my overheated body.

She looks horrified. "No, well yes, I _do_ want to make a baby, but not like this!"

Fucking women, you can't get a straight answer out of them. "Look, I don't know what the fuck you want from me then. One minute you want to make a baby the next you're pushing me away, just spit it the fuck out; _what do you want from me_?" My voice is deadly calm. With everything else I've learned today, I can't handle much more of this bullshit.

Redness fills her cheeks and her fists ball at her sides. "Look, you fucking idiot, first off, even if I did want to make a baby with you _like this_ "―she motions between us―"I'd _never_ do it in a stairwell."

I laugh loud and harsh, interrupting her rant. "You didn't seem to have much problem with it a few minutes ago."

She shrieks, and it's a loud piercing sound. I cover my ears and look around hoping no one rushes in thinking I'm trying to kill her. "Get over yourself, Edward," she grits, before turning to stomp up the stairs. When she gets to the next landing, she stops and turns to me. "I don't know why I even bothered." With an eye roll, she's out the door.

"Fuck!" I slap my palm against the wall. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" I pitch a hissy fit right there in the stairwell, smacking and hitting the wall.

I can't win for fucking losing. I don't know how to be a man in this fucked up situation. I don't know how to react or what's expected of me. I don't know where I've been or where I'm heading. It's all a jumble of uncertainties spinning around making everything seem off kilter.

My whole life has been blown apart in one single day.

There is one thing I am certain of, though, and that's Seth. I need him with me ASAP. With that in mind, I start making my way back to my hotel room. I'll try and talk to Bella again when she's calmed down, but right now I need to break the news to my family.

~~~~~Sharp~~~~~

"It's about damn time, bro," Jay answers the phone.

I chuckle, and not because anything's funny, but because he thinks he's been put out, and I've had the most unrealistic day imaginable. "I had shit to take care of, sorry, man."

"So it's taken care of then? You're coming home?" he asks.

I prop my elbow on the table in front of me and rub my forehead. "It's not that simple. This won't ever be taken care of, Jay."

"Fuck, man, has that woman gotten to you? Now you're the one talking in riddles," he whines.

I sigh. "I get it, but some things are just hard to say."

"Well, just spit it out. It can't be that bad right?"

I snort. "You have no idea."

"All right, I don't, but that's because you aren't telling me jack shit! Just say it, whatever it is, and we'll handle it together," he demands.

And I get it; that was me a couple days ago talking to Rosalie. Only now, I'm the one who has to share the news, over the phone no less, with my brother. He's my person. My closest friend and brother all wrapped in one.

"You want me to say it, okay, Jay. You want to hear the news I came to Seattle to learn? Once you hear it, it can't be unheard," I warn.

" _Say it_ ," he insists.

I scrub my hand into my hair and make a fist, hoping the pain will help ease the sorrow of saying the words out loud. "Seth's not my son."

He laughs. "Come on, man. Stop this bullshit."

I stay silent.

"Edward?"

I grip tighter. "I told you."

"You're serious?"

"Yep, and I can't even say I wish I weren't. I met him, Jay. I met my biological son." I smile just remembering the moment he opened his eyes. "Just from standing in the doorway gazing at him as he slept, was enough to convince me. Then, when I sat beside him as he opened his eyes―my eyes―there was no mistaking."

"While all this sounds lovely, you need to start from the beginning," he breaks into my reverie.

So I do.

I tell him everything. He stops me and asks a million questions along the way, but eventually he gets the full story, right up to me leaving the hospital. When I'm completely done, he sits quiet, allowing his mind to wrap around everything I just said.

"Is she hot?" he finally asks.

I sputter. "What?"

He chuckles. "You heard me. Is she hot?"

"After all I just said, that's your question?" I'm appalled.

"Well, it's obvious from your tone when talking about him, that you know he's yours, so that's a given. You know the whole family will come out and be tested, that's a no-brainer. I know you're not planning on trading kids, right?" he prods.

"No, never," I answer.

"Well, that's the only thing left to ask then. She wants to make a baby with you and you tried to fuck her in a stairwell. I'd say my brother has the hots for his boy's mom."

I roll my eyes. "Jay, this whole situation is fucked up and she just sprung that on me, I don't know what I was doing when I did that. It just … happened."

He barks out a laugh. "Because she's hot!"

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up all you want. Look, I need you to do me a couple favors," I say seriously.

"Of course, you know I'll do whatever you need."

I've already decided what needs to be done and while it isn't the most practical thing I'll ever do, I feel it's my only choice right now. "First, I need Seth here, pronto. If I need to come get him, I can, but I was hoping you'd bring him. Then, I'm going to need you to go back and stop all progress at _Masen's._ There's no way I can continue that opening right now, maybe never. After that, I'm hoping you, Vic, and the kids will come back to Seattle and spend a weekend. I need you here, man. If only for a little while."

It takes him a few seconds to respond. "Are you sure you want to stop all work at _Masen's_? That's huge, man."

I get up and start pacing. "I can't be there to oversee it, hell, I might not be back by the time it was scheduled to open. I can't begin my dream in Chicago when I'm planning to be in Seattle."

He sighs into the line. "Wow, man, that's huge. So you're not coming back then?"

I stop pacing and my shoulders sag. "No time soon, that's for sure."

"Damn, that's rough, but I understand. We're going to miss you, though." He clears his throat. "So, you need me to fly out there with Seth, as soon as possible I take it?"

"Yeah, man, if you can swing it. I need to let Bella meet him and honestly, I just need him close," I reply.

"Let me look up some flights and I'll text you the information. I also have to tell Vic and we'll make plans to join you next weekend. What about Mom and Dad?"

I take a deep breath and blow it out. "I think I'm going to call and ask them to come out, too. They need to be tested anyway, and that way I can tell them in person. I really don't know what to expect from them."

"I hear you. I have no idea how they'll react, especially given the last Seattle debacle. You going to college and marrying Maria out there," he points out.

"Thanks for the boost of confidence."

He chuckles and lifts the heaviness from the conversation. "Just keeping it real, man."

I smile to myself. "That's why I love you and I'm going to miss all of you, too."

"We'll work it out," he assures.

"I know we will. So you'll text me the flight times?" I ask.

"Sure thing. Hopefully, we'll be there by tomorrow night."

Just hearing those words makes the ache in my chest lesson. "God, I hope so. Is the little dude around so I can talk to him?"

"Nah, man, sorry. Vic took the boys to a movie," he answers.

"Okay, let me know your flight plans as soon as you can," I tell him.

"Will do. I'm already looking them up and looks like there's a few tomorrow," he replies

Just knowing Seth will be here soon sets my mind at ease. "All right, see you then."

"Later," he says.

After hanging up with Jay, I make my way to the shower hoping the hot water will soothe me. It doesn't. I'm dressed and pacing in the hotel room not soon after. So many things left unresolved. I fucked up with Bella more times than I can count today, I need to make it right. Not just for our sake, but for our sons as well. This is never going to work if we can't get along.

Jake needs it to work more than anyone else and just talking to him for that brief few minutes is all it took. I need it to work for him.

He's my son.

He's Bella's son.

He's _our_ son and he's the priority right now.

Fuck! I grab my keys and make my way to the one place where I can try. I can try to make amends for my stupid shit. I can try to build a relationship with my son's mother. I can try to convince her I'm worthy of him.

All I can do is try.

As I approach his room, I'm nervous. What if she sends me away? What if she won't let me around him? What if she fights to keep me away? What then?

I don't want that, so with trepidation in my bones, I knock on the door.

She opens just seconds later. She's radiant standing there with the lamplight casting a warm glow from behind her. "Can I help you?" she asks.

"Bella, I was hoping we could talk." My eyes beg her to trust me, to give me one more chance to prove I can do better.

For Jake.

She studies me carefully. It feels as if she's seeing into my soul. After she's satisfied that I'm serious enough, she pulls the door open and walks back to her pseudo sleeping chair.

I enter behind her, hoping this will go well.

* * *

 **So I don't think that was exactly what Bella had in mind. Maybe they can get their shit together next chapter.**

 ****I wanted to say a huge thank you to any who voted for Fyremasen as fave newbie author in the multi fandom awards. We were honored to win 2nd place and can't express our gratitude enough!**

 **See you Friday!**


	10. Under Construction

**Hope you had a fab time in Philly Fran, and now, get back to work lol :P Thanks Lissa, Michele and Judyblue for reading my stuff before you do!**

* * *

 **Yeah, yeah, it's Thursday, but I forgot that the hubs will be off tomorrow for the 4th, so here you go!**

 **EPOV**

I follow her in and my eyes immediately jump to Jake. He's sleeping soundly, just as he was earlier today. I stop and take him in, reveling in the fact that he's mine. Being told your child isn't yours is a blow no one can comprehend, but to actually lay eyes on the boy you did father makes it concrete.

It leaves zero doubt.

The only choice left for me is to make the best of it, and that's why I'm here. No one, aside from Bella can imagine the feelings of uncertainty I'm harboring right now. Unimaginable things have bound us together, and now we have to do what it takes to get through.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?" she whispers, causing me to jump out of my thoughts.

Not taking my eyes from him, I answer, "He's perfect."

"Well, go on, take the chair beside him," she suggests.

My eyes snap to hers. "You don't mind?"

She sighs. "Edward, I'm not going to try and keep him from you. Sure, I wanted to run and hide, at first, but I realized I couldn't do that. Jake needs more from me. He needs me to let him have you, too … no matter if you are an idiot." She rolls her eyes.

"I'm sorry, Bella. I really am," I state emphatically.

"I know you are and I'm willing to be understanding to a point, but you have to try and meet me half way. Think before you speak and act, please. I don't know how many more times I can forgive." Her eyes tell me she's serious, but they also tell me she's tired. This whole situation is taking its toll on her.

I nod and move to sit in the chair. After studying Jake a few more minutes, I turn to face her. "I can't promise I won't fuck up anymore. This is a lot to take in and my emotions are all over the place, but the one thing I do know, is that you and I"―I motion between us―"we're in this for life. There's no going back for us. We both have two sons now and we'll just have to learn to accept that and make it work for us."

She smiles and even though it's small, I can tell she liked what I just said. "Agreed. There's so much to figure out, I barely even know where to start."

I chuckle. "How about I tell you about Seth?"

She gasps. "You must think I'm the most horrible mother on earth. I haven't asked about him or anything, have I?"

I think back through our conversations and realize that she hasn't, but I also recall the tone of those conversations and can admit my part in her distraction. Never mind the fact that Jake being sick is what propelled this whole situation for her.

"You haven't, but we've yet to have a real conversation. Aside from the one where you told me about Jake, which is what brings us here at this moment." I rub the back of my neck. "And, um, the stairwell."

She snorts. "I wouldn't call that real conversation either. More like a disaster."

I allow a small smile to lift the corners of my mouth. "It was and I'd like to revisit that conversation, but first let me fill you in on your other son."

The smile she gives is brilliant, it lights up her entire face. "Please."

I pull my phone out and enter the unlock code, and the first thing I see is a picture of Seth and me. I hold it out for her to take. "That was last summer. We were at Lake Michigan, spending the day on the beach."

She tentatively reaches over; as if she's afraid I'll snatch it back. As soon as she lays eyes on it, she starts blinking rapidly, trying to hold back the tears. I scoot my chair closer and reach out to rub her arm. "Don't cry, Bella. He's amazing, just like Jake."

"Happy tears, Edward," she says, rubbing over his little face.

"He has your eyes. I knew it as soon as I saw you, even though I still didn't want to believe it was true," I tell her.

She hugs the phone close to her chest and looks to me again. "I can't wait to meet him."

I reach up and wipe a tear that's escaped down her cheek. "He'll be here tomorrow."

Her eyes go wide. "What are we going to tell them? How do we explain this to them?"

I shake my head. "I don't have a clue. I'm as new at this as you are."

"What did you tell Jake? Who did you say you were?" she asks.

"I told him my name was Edward and I was his mom's friend," I smirk.

"Oh," she says. "Well, we have to decide on something. I know they're young, but Jake's a smart kid, and he hasn't been introduced to many 'men friends' in the past."

I raise a brow. "So you're telling me he hasn't met any of your boyfriends?"

Even in the low lighting, the pink tinge is visible on her cheeks. "Not that it's any of your business, but I leave him with a sitter when I go on a date and none of those have made it far enough to meet my son. What about you? Has Seth met your lady friends?"

"No way. I don't trust women around my son."

She tilts her head, reading me like a book. "Ah, I see. Your wife walked out on you so you're afraid to try again."

I lean forward and prop my elbows on my knees. "If the woman that carried him doesn't want him, I damn sure don't have expectations for other women."

She touches my arm, gaining my attention. "You can't let that rule your life, Edward. There are good women out there."

I pull my hand through my hair and look over at her. "Well, it's not that simple anymore, is it, Bella?"

"No, it's not," she says simply, holding my phone out to me.

I reach out and take it back. "So, about that other thing," I say, hating to bring it up, but knowing it has to be done.

"Oh, God." She leans back in her chair and covers her face. "I think we need to forget that ever happened."

I reach over and grab her hands, pulling them away. "No, Bella, we can't. It's a valid option." Her wide eyes meet mine and now that I have her attention, I lean back and make my case. "I mean, yeah I fucked it all up earlier today, but you're right. It's the best chance we have at getting a perfect match for Jake, aside from hunting down Maria and creating one, and that will _never_ happen." I get angry just thinking about it.

"Not even for Jake?" she asks quietly.

I think about her question carefully before I form an answer. "I'm sorry, Bella, but I could never do that. Not even for Jake." My eyes plead with her to understand. It's bad enough that Maria might hear about this and appear one day, but I could never seek her out.

Not for anything.

"What happens if she does show up one day? You know this won't be kept quiet. It will get out eventually." She's worried. Afraid of what it means for our boys if the woman I've described shows up and tries to insert herself in this situation.

"Don't worry, she signed her rights away. She's no longer his mother," I assure.

She stands and starts pacing. "No, Edward, no." She whips her eyes to mine, panic the overwhelming emotion. "She signed her rights to _Seth_ away. Not Jake." Tears begin to well.

I get up and go to her. Placing my hands on her shoulders, I try to transfer all of my determination to her. "She signed her rights away to our child. There's no way the courts would reverse it because it wasn't the right one. I have money, Bella, I'll pay her off if I have to; it was easy enough the first time."

"You paid her off?" she asks, shock clear in her tone.

"No, not exactly, but I will this time if that's what it takes," I guarantee. "She wanted a divorce and she didn't want anything to do with Seth, so I made her sign her rights away, and in return her settlement was exceptional. She happily took it and left. I haven't seen or heard from her since."

She sniffles. "Wow, you sure know how to pick 'em." A small smile peeps through.

I chuckle. "See why I keep women away from him?" I reach up and rest my palms on each cheek, and wipe her tears away with my thumbs. "It's going to be okay, Bella. We just have to learn to trust each other."

She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath. When she opens them again, she's still vulnerable, but her resolve is back. "I think we can do that. We both have so much to gain in the long run by getting along and trusting each other. We have amazing sons that are worth the effort."

I reach around and hug her. "So worth it."

She returns my hug and when I pull back, I leave a light kiss on her forehead before guiding her to her sleep chair and holding the cover up for her to climb in. She avoids my eyes, but still mutters, "Thanks."

I go back to my chair and take in my still sleeping boy. He's rolled to his side facing away from me now, but just having my eyes on him is enough to make me say what needs to come next. "So, um, how do you want to do this?"

"I'm not entirely sure, but right now, just meeting the boys is enough to handle―"

I turn and stop her. "No, Bella, that's not what I meant. I mean, us, making a baby. Did you want to go on a date? Set up a time? What if just once isn't eno―"

"Whoa, stop right there," she interrupts. "I didn't mean _make a baby_ , make a baby. I meant we could conceive the way I did with Jake ... I mean Seth, the first time."

I think back to when she told me about Jake, and remember why he doesn't have a father in the picture. My brows rise into my hairline. "You want me to donate sperm?"

"That seems the most reasonable option. You go in, I go in and voila, we're pregnant." She waves her hands around as if she just initiated world peace.

I continue to stare at her thinking she's lost her damn mind. She expects me to go in some room, look at a dirty mag and jack my cock? "Are you out of your fucking mind?"

She at least has the decency to look chagrined. "It worked well before and come on; it's the most reasonable option."

"The most reasonable," I sputter.

I'm dumbfounded.

I may have gone about it in all the wrong ways earlier, but it felt right. _We_ felt right, and she _was_ feeling it, I know that. Why would she want to go about it in such a … clinical way?

'Yes, no strings and no emotions. Very reasonable," she nods as if she's assuring herself.

I have to stop this crazy train before it pulls out of the depot. "No strings? You don't consider sharing a kid a string? Look, there's no way to do something such as this and not have it be an emotional experience. Even if we do go about it the way you're suggesting, there's a whole nine months of pregnancy to follow. Do you think I'd just leave you to it, not want to be around while my child grows in your belly? And then there's Jake and Seth. We're still going to be working on clearing this mess up for them, sharing them, letting them get to know us better, as well as each other. We've become attached by a permanent string, and going about it in that way just seems to add another pressure we don't need." I'm trying to make her understand how unreasonable her method sounds, but listening to myself, I realize there are a lot more factors in play than even I've considered.

She huffs. "Pressure? You don't think doing it the old fashioned way will create pressure … expectations … complications?"

I ease down on my knees in front of her. "It doesn't have to be that way. Haven't you ever had a friend with benefits?" I reach up and push a curl behind her ear, allowing my fingers to linger. "We have the chemistry, Bella. Not only will we be trying for a solution to help Jake, but maybe we can offer each other something else."

She tilts her head away from my hand and crosses her arms. "And what might that be, Edward?"

"Comfort, relief … mind-blowing orgasms." I smirk.

"You sound so sure of yourself." She raises a brow.

"Come on, Bella. You felt it, I know you did." I reach over and pull her arms away from her body, rubbing the tension from her muscles. "Don't be so tense. It's no big deal. People have sex for a variety of different reasons all the time. At least, our end goal is one and the same." I glide my hands down and grab hers. "Just think about it, and if you want, get in touch with your clinic and see what we'll have to do there. Either way, I'm in, the decision of how is all on you."

She squeezes my hands. "Thank you, Edward."

I smile. "No problem … especially if you choose the old fashioned way." I wink and stand up heading back to my chair.

Once I'm settled in, she pulls her covers tighter around her and lies back. "Tell me about him."

So I do.

I tell her stories about Seth. Any cute story I can think of to keep that smile on her lips. She chuckles occasionally and asks a question here or there, but mostly just sits and absorbs my words with a beautiful smile. When I haven't heard from her in few minutes, I look over and she's sound asleep.

I turn back to my son and lean my head over on his bed, grabbing his little hand in mine. Being here with him like this makes me miss Seth even more. I can't wait to have him in my arms again. That's when this little get-together will finally be complete.

I'm terrified of what the future hold for us all, but I also know that as long as Bella and I can make it work, then the rest of the world doesn't matter. It's completely on us to make things right for these two, precious little boys.

The next thing I know, there's a man in a white lab coat entering the room with two coffees. He stops abruptly when he sees me.

"Who are you?" the doctor asks.

"I'm Jake's father. Who are you?" I raise my head and look around the room.

His eyes widen. "Excuse me?"

Just then, Bella sits up and moans. When she notices the doctor, she smiles. "Alec, what are you doing here so early?"

"Good morning, Bella, just thought you might want some coffee." The fucker beams as if she just raised the sun.

She glances at me and looks away embarrassed. "Thank you." She gets up and goes over to him, taking her coffee. "Alec, I'd like you to meet Edward, this is Jacob's biological father."

She turns to me. "Edward, this is Dr. Alec Volturi. He's one of the doctors overseeing Jake's case. He's a hematologist."

I rise and hold out my hand. "Nice to meet you, _Alec_ ," I enunciate his name and grip his hand firmly.

A little too firmly.

The pussy winces.

He turns back to Bella, effectively cutting me out of their conversation. "I didn't realize you and Carlisle moved forward with contacting the clinic. We can get him tested today if you'd like, get that out of the way so he can return to his life."

"What clinic?" I ask. "And what life would that be, doctor? The one where I only have one son? No, thank you. Jake is mine and I will be staying around."

He turns back to me. "Oh, you want to be in his life now? Doesn't that complicate the original agreement?"

"Alec," Bella breaks in.

Before she can go farther, I answer his question. "Of course I want to be in his life. What did you think I'd do? Run because he's sick?"

He stutters. "Ah, um, no that isn't what I meant."

"Yeah, I bet. And as for complicating things, could it get any more complicated? Oh, I can think of one more complication I'd like to add"―I smirk at Bella―"but that's yet to be decided."

"Okay, I think we've gotten way off base here." She touches the fucker's arm. "Alec, this isn't the sperm donor for Jake. This is Jake's biological father and he has my biological son."

The fucker's brow furrows. "What?"

"It seems there was a mistake"―I snort, but she rolls her eyes and continues―"when the boys were born. They were somehow exchanged before they received their ID bracelets. Jacob is Edward's biological son, not mine."

His jaw drops.

"Oh my, Bella. I had no idea. Why didn't you tell me? This must've been a horrible time for you." He puts his arm around her shoulders. "I'm so sorry."

She smiles and moves away. "Thank you, Alec, but we've been trying to keep it as quiet as possible. Thankfully, Edward's been great." She gives me a fake smile and I can't thank her enough for not calling me out for the ass I've been.

I walk over and prop my arm across the shoulders she moved away from him and smirk. "Yes, doctor, Bella and I have been working hard to come to terms with this situation." I give her another squeeze. "I think we're going to be just fine though."

He smiles, but it doesn't reach his eyes. "Good, glad to hear things are going all right." He turns heading toward Jake's bed.

"I do have one question though," I say, making him stop and turn back to us. "Does a baby between Bella and me have a better chance as a match for Jake?"

I watch, with a smirk, as his eyes grow wide in understanding.

* * *

 **Cocky fucker.**

 **Okay, I'm new to the WIP business, but I've started up a few. Here they are:**

* * *

 **Born of Ash and Fire by MandyLeigh87**

 **Knock Me Up, Please by gabby1017**

 **Jilted by vampiregirl93**

 **In Your Dreams by winterhorses**

 **Come Back Tomorrow by Shadow Masen**

* * *

 **Give them a try! See you Wednesday :)**


	11. No Passing

**Super special thanks to my beta babe, Fran. And to my prereaders Michele, Lissa and Judyblue you rock! Extra special thanks to vampiregirl93 for catching a big boo boo ;)**

* * *

 **Man, that was a long 6 days …**

 **BPOV**

My mouth gapes open.

How dare he? I elbow him in the ribs and step away, allowing his arm to drop to his side. There's an evil smirk curling his lips and that tells me all I need to know. Edward is trying to rile Alec up.

Asshole.

Nevertheless, even though he's acting like an ass, it's a question I'd like to have answered. I mean, I'm positive it's true, but having a medical opinion to back my reasoning will make it seem less crazy in my head.

Alec is still standing there looking as if Edward has sprouted two heads. I'm sure this is a lot for him to take in at one time. We hadn't shared the news with him prior to now and then to have Edward here so unexpectedly, and under different circumstances than he thought, is probably shocking.

I approach him and reach out to touch his arm. "Alec? While Edward is an idiot for springing it on you like this, his question does have some merit. I'd like an answer, too."

"But … but …" he sputters, before trying again. "You can't be serious!" His voice is high, almost hysterical.

I cross my arms, getting defensive at his immediate rebuttal. "Why not?"

His eyes go wide and his jaw drops. "Bella, you've only just met this guy. You can't possibly be considering having a baby with him. That's crazy!"

I start tapping my foot. He's beginning to irritate me now. "While I appreciate your concern, Alec, that's frankly none of your business. Now could you answer Edward's question."

He runs his fingers through his hair and gathers himself together. "Well, as a physician, I should warn that creating a life just to heal another isn't always an ideal situation, but it has been done in the past. And the answer is yes. Yes, a biological sibling, even a half-sibling, would have a better chance of matching." He moves closer to me, leaning down to look into my eyes. "As your friend, I ask that you _please_ think this through first. Jake's so much better, we have time to find that match."

I huff. "This coming from the same man that suggested I should do whatever it takes? Remember that, Alec? You're the one who was pushing me to seek out his father, even though I didn't want to impede on his life."

Edward's standing there, his head volleying back and forth as if he's watching the most engrossing game of tennis ever. That sly smirk still firmly planted on his lips.

Alec sighs and speaks, but this time he's much more resigned. "I never thought you'd attempt at creating another life with him though," he says lowly, turning to head toward Jake again, giving up the fight.

I follow him over, much more calm now that he isn't trying to dictate my decisions. "It's just an idea that we've discussed. Nothing's written in stone. It _is_ nice to have all of the facts, though."

He looks to me once more, his eyes pleading. "Just please think long and hard before making a decision. This is one you won't be able to walk away from if you decide to follow through." He glances at Edward. "Either of you."

Edward, not one to stay quiet for long, steps closer and looks directly at Alec. "I've already made my decision. It's completely up to Bella how we proceed from here. But know this"―he leans closer, making sure Alec is looking into his eyes―"I would _never_ walk away from _any_ child of mine."

Alec acknowledges him with a curt nod before turning his beseeching eyes to mine. "Just don't make any rash decisions, please," he says for the third time. Then he turns and retrieves Jake's chart, snapping back into doctor mode almost instantly.

The rest of the visit is spent with him going over Jacob's latest test results and what that means for us. Basically, he tells me that Jake can go home the day after tomorrow if today's round of blood work comes back with positive results.

Toward the end of our discussion, Jake finally opens his eyes. They immediately zero in on Edward. "Hey, you here again?"

The smile that lights Edward's face is breathtaking. He approaches Jake's bed and sits on the edge. "I sure am, dude. I have a feeling I'll be seeing a lot of you."

Jake sits up and shrugs. "Well, I goin' home soon."

Edward leans closer as if to tell him a secret. "That's okay, I'll still come visit you there." He leans back up. "Guess what?"

"What?" Jake mimics.

"I have a little boy that's your same age. How would you like it if he came to visit you, too?" Edward asks.

From the corner of my eye, I catch Alec's expression. His lips are pursed as if he just sucked a lemon, disapproval on his features. Deciding his reaction isn't what matters, I move to the other side of Jake and take a seat.

Jake smiles at me, but turns to answer Edward. "You gotta boy like me?" He points to himself.

Edward reaches over and tousles Jake's hair. "I do. Would you like to meet him?"

Jake smiles and nods enthusiastically. "What his name?"

"Seth," Edward answers.

At that Jake turns to me. "Mama, I gots a new friend named Seth."

I give Edward a smile of thanks. "You sure do, baby."

Alec comes over and breaks up our morning conversation not soon after, checking Jake over and chatting with him. He's almost acting as though Edward stole his new toy. He's never tried so hard to be buddy-buddy with Jake as he is today.

That's something I'll have to ponder another time.

Right now I'm focused on the fact that in just a few hours, I'm going to meet my biological son. I'm almost giddy with anticipation. These last few days have been both some of the worst and best all wrapped in one. Edward definitely hasn't made things easy, but I think our talk helped and we've come to an understanding. Now, with Seth coming to Seattle and the hope that Jake will get to go home, I feel like I'm flying on some kind of high.

A high that I hope lasts forever―even though I know it won't.

Once Alec has retreated from the room, I sit in my usual chair and allow Edward time with Jake. I think he's earned it. His smile never wavers as they become fast, easy friends. I find myself wondering if it will be as simple for Seth and me.

After Jake's had breakfast and talked himself out with Edward, I suggest we take a stroll down the hall. Jake's been in the bed so much that Carlisle's started encouraging me to get him out of the room on occasion. We take our usual route through the halls, only this time Edward's beside us every step of the way.

When we return to Jake's room, his lunch has already been delivered, along with an extra for me. I help him back to bed and settle his tray in front of him. "Here you go, sweetie."

"Thank you, Mama. You eatin' too?" he asks.

"Sure am. I have a tray right over there." I point to the extra plate.

"What about Edward? He got somethin' to eat?"

I'm taken aback that Jake even cares whether Edward eats or not. "I don't know. I don't think they brought him a tray." I look over to Edward. He has his cell up to his ear and is walking around talking into it with a soft voice.

"He can eat wif me," Jake says as if that solves everything.

I reach over and caress his cheek. "You're such a sweet little man, but I think Edward will be okay. You need to eat and get strong so you can go home soon."

He fist pumps, Edward completely forgotten. "Yeah! I goin' home!"

I chuckle at him. "Soon, baby. Now eat."

Jake and I sit on his bed; him at the top and me at the foot with the hospital tray between us. We sit, eat and chat and when he's done, I turn on Nickelodeon for him to watch.

When Edward gets off the phone, he takes the seat beside Jake's bed. "That was Jay, my brother. His and Seth's flight boards in ten minutes."

I smile and brush a random curl behind my ear, my hand shaking uncontrollably. "I can't wait," I say softly.

He reaches over and clasps my hands. "Hey, calm down. It's okay. You have nothing to be nervous about. Seth is going to love you and you him."

I take a deep breath and try to allow his words to soothe me. "I hope you're right."

"Trust me, I am." He gives me a gentle smile and I start to believe that maybe he is.

"So, um, how do you want to do this?" I ask unsure what his exact plans are.

He sighs. "Their flight is scheduled to arrive at six thirty. I thought that you might have someone else sit with Jake and maybe meet us at my hotel room a little later?" He rubs the back of his neck and looks away.

I think it over and decide he's right. I should meet Seth first in a private setting, allowing him time to get used to me as much as he can before he's thrust into our lives so suddenly. I can only hope he'll be as accepting of me as Jake was of Edward.

"Okay, I think that will work out for the best. It won't be a problem to have someone sit with Jake. What hotel and time?" I ask.

He uses a sticky pad on the side table and jots down the information, along with his cell number. I giggle and reach for my purse. When I have it, I dig through and bring out my phone. Looking at the note, I punch in Edward's number.

At the ring from his pocket, he realizes what I'm doing and smirks. "Just what I was hoping for." With a wink, he starts saving my number. When he's finished, he looks to me again. "I'll text you when we leave the airport. In the morning, we'll come visit with Jake. Jay intends to get tested while he's here, and it's something I haven't done yet so we'll both go then."

"Sounds perfect." I give him a contented smile.

When I look back to Jacob, I realize that he's already fallen asleep. I get up, move the tray from between us, and turn off the overhead light.

"He really is special, Bella," Edward says reverently. I don't know why, but those very same chills from our first meeting reverberate over my skin at his use of my name.

I can do nothing but nod in agreement, my lips won't allow me to speak and my eyes avoid even a glance in his direction. I busy myself with tucking Jake's blanket closer to his body and leaning the head of his bed down farther. With that done, I find myself looking for anything else to occupy myself.

"Bella." His voice is low, seductive. "Please, sit down. I don't bite." I allow my eyes to find his and what I see there is a contradiction of his words. He does bite and I'd be a fool to let it slip my mind.

I take a deep breath and remind myself that I can do this. I can handle Edward Masen. But can I really? It was easy when he was acting like an arrogant asshole, but the soft, caring man in front of me …

I'm not so sure.

On shaky legs, I make my way to my chair and busy myself pulling it back into a sitting position, still trying to avoid looking at him. When I've done all I can to prolong the minutes before I face him, I finally take my seat.

With the lighting low and no Jake as a barrier, I feel vulnerable. For some reason, last night was so much different than today. He was making a case, begging to set things right. Now that we've settled so many obstacles and the big decision lies with me, I can't help but think he'll pull every trick in the book to make that decision veer in his direction.

He pulls his chair closer, impossibly close. His knee brushes mine and I shiver involuntarily, still avoiding his eyes. His hand comes into my periphery, making its way to mine. Beginning with his middle finger, he traces the veins up my arm. When he reaches my shirt sleeve, his hand leaves, but only to land on my jaw. His fingers encase my chin and turn my face toward him. Then they all pull back but one knuckle, it's left to make its way up my cheek and then his fingers slide into my hairline.

He leans his head beside my own and begins speaking in a low, raspy voice. "You know I'm going to fight dirty, right? I'm going to touch and tease as much as you'll allow. The decision is completely yours and I'll honor whatever you choose, but I'll also do my very best to sway you to my thinking. I won't make it easy."

I sit very still, pretending that he has no effect on me. I school my features and my body to show no response, even though on the inside I'm melting into a puddle. When I'm sure my voice and reactions are under control, I lean back and look him in the eye.

Then I smirk. "Good luck, Edward."

My delivery is perfect. Ice queen cold and unaffected, his name leaves my lips with no inflection whatsoever.

He chuckles darkly. "Well played, Bella. Well played." He leans back and relaxes against his own chair, leaving my space free of his presence.

I can finally breathe normally again and the mood lightens. The distance between us bringing about a normalcy I was once again desperate to feel. The minutes tick by with small talk and the occasional assurance from Edward when he notices my anxiety peeping through over the upcoming meeting.

After a while, he stands. His hand going to the back of his neck. "Well, uh, I need to get going."

"Oh, okay. Not much longer now then?" I ask.

"Yeah, a few more hours. I need to get back to the hotel and get a shower, though. I wasn't exactly planning on staying this long when I showed up here last night." He takes his keys from his pocket and twirls them on his fingers, acting nonchalant, when he's really anything but.

"Of course." I stand. I'm not sure why, it just feels appropriate in this situation.

We both know the conversation that took place last night was a new starting point for us all. We made considerable headway in deciding the path we intend to follow with our boys. We realize that we're connected for life and we _will_ give them the best outcome possible.

He steps up to me and links his fingers with mine. "You're going to do fine, Bella. Trust me."

Trust is such a funny thing.

So easy to ask for.

So easy to promise.

So easy to break.

Yet so hard to earn.

Edward hasn't earned it yet; but I find myself believing him anyway. He knows his … my … son better than anyone and if he thinks he'll accept me into his life, then I have no choice but to grab onto that feeling and carry it with me until I know for myself.

I swallow and his eyes flick to my neck, they caress my skin. "I'd rather trust you on this than to think otherwise." His eyes jump back to mine. "Please, don't steer me wrong, Edward."

He steps even closer still and brings his hand up, cupping the back of my neck. I try to avoid such close eye contact, but he guides me so I have no choice. The sheer determination I see there takes away my breath.

"Bella, Seth is an amazing little guy just as Jake is. He's happy and well-rounded. After he gets to know you, he'll realize what a nurturing person you are." He chuckles lightly and rolls his eyes. "He'll probably dump me after he meets you."

Even though he was kidding, my mind can't help but worry about those very things. We will have to tell these boys the truth. They might not understand it right away, but they do and will understand what Dad and Mom means. And that's really what we are; I'm their Mom and Edward's their Dad. With that information, will I become any less to Jake or Edward to Seth? Just another one of the future obstacles we'll have to overcome if it ever arises.

I raise my hand and rest it on his chest. "Don't joke like that. I don't even want to think about it."

"Hey, hey." He cups my cheeks in his hands. "We're _both_ their parents from this point on, no matter what happens. You _never_ have to worry about losing a son, you're gaining another. That's all, I _swear._ "

I nod, I don't trust myself to speak right now. This man, this situation, is tearing me to pieces. I feel as if one strong gust and I'll scatter in the wind. How can he be so amazing and so infuriating at the same time?

"We'll need to tell them at some point, you know? I'd prefer as soon as possible, but again I'm willing to defer to you. It's all you, Bella. You're in the driver's seat," he assures, and that small admission is enough to lift the weight of this moment.

I smile. "Thank you, Edward. I don't have all of the answers, but I'll try to make the best choices for our boys."

He leans up and slowly presses his lips to my forehead, then steps back. The space between us now feels empty somehow. "I know you will, Bella. You've already shown loyalty, fierceness and a willingness to forgive. Our boys are in good hands." He winks. "But that doesn't mean I won't try my very best to persuade you on _other_ decisions." His smirk says exactly what those other decisions are.

I giggle―yes, like a schoolgirl―and swat at his chest. "Whatever, Masen. Go get our boy, I'm dying to meet him."

He mock salutes me and turns to leave the room.

As soon as he's out the door, I reach for my cell.

I need to contact the clinic as soon as possible.

There's no way I'm giving in to Edward without _all_ of the facts, and he's already made it clear, he won't be making it easy for me.

* * *

 **Thanks to all of you who checked out my recs!**

 **Seth arrives next chapter.**

 **See you Monday!**


	12. One Way

**Disclaimer: I don't own Twilight or Edward and Bella, but this is a Bella and Edward** **FANFICTION!** **The events are not meant to mirror real life. It is for** **entertainment** **purposes only. In other words: to get your BxE fix from an unusual and twisty storyline. Cause, yeah, there'll be more left turns ahead ;)**

* * *

 **Fran is my beta babe and Lissa, Judyblue and Michele are my pre-readers. Oh, and how could I forget my new addition … vanpiregirl93, she rocks!**

 **BPOV**

With Edward gone and Jake still napping, I find myself considering what's to come and can't help but feel a small amount of guilt. Somehow, meeting Seth feels like a betrayal of Jacob. In my heart I know it isn't true, but my head still wars with me.

" _It's so easy for you to run off to meet another son while your sick son lies here wondering where you are,"_ my guilty conscience whispers _._

" _But I need to meet him. I carried him for nine months, he's my son, too,"_ I reason _._

" _He's Edward's son. Jake is your son,"_ it volleys back at me _._

" _No! They're both my sons,"_ I think firmly.

" _Yeah, a backup is always nice,"_ it sneers _._

I gasp _._ How could I even have these thoughts? _"Never!"_ I communicate to my fucked up head. _"I'll never think of Seth as a backup because Jake isn't going anywhere!"_

" _Admit it. You're scared to death. This whole situation is out of your control, and you yearn for control,"_ it argues.

It's true. I do wish I could snap my fingers and everything would be right again, but what _is_ right? I could never go back and unlearn what I know. The only thing I'd change is Jake's illness. The rest is a permanent change and one to which I can adapt. Over time, the rewards will far outweigh the current turmoil.

I can't and won't allow myself to dwell on things that can't be changed or insecurities that bubble up inside me. I just have to trust and know that, in the long run, Jake and everyone else involved will be happier and healthier for all that has transpired.

I push the guilt from my mind and call my mom. She answers right away and agrees that she and Dad will come sit with Jake. I haven't talked to her since I met Edward, so she has a lot of questions.

"So you're going to meet Seth this evening?" she asks.

"I am. Edward and I thought it better for me to meet him in private. We don't want to overwhelm him," I respond.

"I can see that. It's good to hear that you and Edward are already agreeing on how to handle things," she tells me.

I chuckle. "Well, it's been a little bit of a rocky road, but I think we've come to an understanding of the basics."

"The basics?" she parrots.

"Just that the most important things are our sons; as long as we do right by them, we can't go wrong," I explain.

"I see," she says. "And he just found out the news yesterday? Sounds like he must be an easygoing man."

I snort. "Not in the least. He can be a complete asshole at times, but he has shown that he's willing to put that aside for our boys."

She hums. "That's the second time you said that you know?"

"What?" I question.

" _Our_ sons, _our_ boys. You say it like it's a given," she responds.

"Isn't it? It's a jarring reality, but reality none the less," I tell her firmly.

"But is it really? Aren't there legal procedures to go through before that's decided?" she counters.

I sigh and run my fingers through my hair. "Maybe for other people in this situation, but not for us. We're both, two very deeply devoted parents who want what's best for our children. And this is what's best. The best of both worlds. Yeah, it'll be hard at times, but I know we'll make it work. We both want the same thing … to know and love our sons."

"Wow, Bella. I can't express how proud I am of you at this moment. Taking an unimaginable situation and making the best of it. I'm so amazed I raised such a compassionate, level-headed daughter. This Edward must be one fine young man, too."

I can't help it, I roll my eyes. Even though she didn't mean it that way, my mind automatically goes to the image of his body pressed close to mine in the stairwell.

"He must be." After saying the words, I realize how true they are. He's had his moments, but he's also had the power to make this situation worse than it needed to be and he didn't―barring some assholishness here and there.

 _One fine young man indeed._

 _In more ways than one._

Satisfied with the answers she's received, she brings an end to our conversation. "Okay, honey, I'm going to finish dinner and let your father know that we have plans this evening. What time do you need us there?" she asks.

I clear my throat. "Their flight is due in at six thirty, so maybe by seven?" I suggest.

"Perfect. We'll see you then. Tell my grandbaby I can't wait to beat him in Candy Land." She laughs. It's a joke between Jake and her, she's always saying she's going to beat him but never does.

"Will do, and thanks, Mom," I tell her sincerely.

"Nothing to thank me for. See you at seven." She ends the call.

At exactly six forty-two Edward sends me a picture message. It's a selfie of Seth and him at the airport. Both of them have huge smiles on their faces and even more than the other pictures Edward has, I can see myself in this little boy.

It reads: _Can't wait 2 see u. 8?_

Tears automatically spring to my eyes and I have to blink fast to hold in the wetness. Nerves rise up in my stomach in the form of a flock of butterflies, but there's something else there, too.

Excitement.

For just a moment, I allow myself to embrace it. To grab hold and really feel the joy of knowing I'm going to be meeting the child that is a part of me.

I quickly start typing.

 _8 sounds good. See you then!_

 _We'll be waiting._

By the time seven rolls around, my parents are walking in the door. I get up and go to them, hugging first Mom and then Dad. Mom heads straight for Jacob, and as I go to pull away, Dad stops me.

"Mom tells me you're going to meet this other little boy tonight?" he clarifies.

"Yeah, I am." Just thinking about it brings a small smile to my lips.

He grabs my shoulders, looking into my eyes. "You still have your pepper spray?"

I roll my eyes. "Dad, don't be ridiculous. I don't need pepper spray for this."

"According to your mother, you seem to think all this is going to work out smoothly with no legal battles. In my experience, something this big never does. So do me a favor and keep it with you just in case. I'd hate for things to get ugly and something unexpected happens and you're not prepared." There's no anger in his voice, it's just matter of fact.

He's seen all types of situations go wrong and he wants me prepared. I don't know how pepper spray will help, but if that's what he needs to feel better, then I'll make sure it's in my purse.

I nod. "It's in the console of my car. I'll make sure to put it in my purse before I go into the hotel."

He smiles then. "Good. Now when are we going to meet this Edward and the little boy?"

"Seth," I say quietly. "His name is Seth and let me meet him first. I won't keep you waiting long, I promise."

"I'll need Edward's full name and address, too," he adds.

I furrow my brow. "Um, why? What for?"

My dad looks affronted. "To run a background check obviously."

"Dad," I whine. "Please don't start this."

He gets more serious. "Bella, if you think I'm going to let some guy into my daughter and grandson's lives without a background check, then you're mistaken. Either you get it or I will." He crosses his arms over his chest.

While I can understand where he's coming from, I can't imagine having that conversation with Edward. I haven't even told him who my dad is or anything about anyone in my family. Seems like we have more talking to do.

I raise a brow. "While I understand your position, I have more pressing things to do tonight. We'll revisit this conversation another day."

He studies me for a few moments. "Fine, Bella, but I won't let it slide."

I reach up and kiss his cheek. "I wouldn't expect anything less."

~~~~~SHARP LEFT~~~~~

When I reach the lobby of the hotel, I pull out my phone to text Edward and let him know I'm on the way up. I already have another picture message from him. This time it's just Seth and the message reads: _He's ready to meet u._

I smile to myself and rub my thumb across his little face before hitting reply.

 _On the way up._

The response is immediate.

 _K_

I roll my eyes and make my way to the elevator. On the ride up, I take deep breaths, hoping to calm the jitters that start in my stomach and reach all the way out to my fingertips.

When I reach the door, I knock lightly. He's expecting me so I'm sure he heard. When the door opens, my eyes go wide.

Edward Masen is standing there fresh from a shower, his damp hair in delicious disarray on his head and he's wearing jeans and a towel around his neck.

That's all.

Nothing else.

I try to avoid looking at his chest as much as possible while reaching out to grab the towel and cover his body from my sight. "What are you doing?" I ask through gritted teeth.

He chuckles that dark, sexy chuckle. "What? I just got out of the shower."

I snatch the towel from his neck and hold it over his chest. "And you couldn't get completely dressed after you did? Put some clothes on for Christ's sake," I snap.

"I'm sorry, Bella, I didn't realize it would bother you." His face is the picture of innocence, but I know better.

He's still playing to win and the thing is, it's working.

I decide on a different approach.

Guilt.

I put on my most sincere face. "I'm sorry, Edward. I thought we'd put all of that aside on the night I'm meeting my son for the first time."

His face falls. "You're right. I'm sorry, Bella … again."

I smile. "No need, just put on some clothes and introduce me."

He returns my smile and invites me inside. "Seth's in his room. Let me grab a shirt and I'll bring him out. Have a seat." He motions to the couch.

I make my way to my seat while I avoid looking at him.

This is it.

The last few seconds before my biological son is standing before me. The excitement that rushes through me is both scary and exhilarating. Not even a minute later, Edward is leading Seth back into the room.

They come to a stop in front of me and I drink him in with my eyes. Hair, a couple of shades lighter than mine, covers his head and eyes that mirror my dad's peer back at me. I know those eyes because I look at them every day in the mirror. I do my very best to keep the moisture from collecting in my own.

"Seth, this is Miss Bella Swan," Edward says. "Can you say hey?"

He scoots in closer, almost hugging Edward's leg.

Edward rubs his hand through his hair in a soothing motion. "Dude, remember, I told you she was coming to meet you. She has a son named Jake who's your age."

Seth's eyes snap to Edward's. "Yeah, Jake at the hospital."

Edward nods and gets down on his knees in front of him. "Yep, little man, he sure is. I was hoping we could go see him tomorrow, but you'll have to talk to Bella first. See if it's okay."

His little eyes slide to mine. Very quietly, he says, "Can we come see Jake?"

I open my mouth to respond, but the words are caught in my throat. I'm about to speak to my other son.

This moment is monumental.

I take a deep breath and try again. "Of course you can, sweetie. He'll be so happy to meet you." I try a different approach and hold out my hand. He looks at it for several seconds before slowly reaching out and taking it in his. I relish the moment our hands touch. "Hello, Seth. My name is Bella and it's nice to meet you." I shake his hand enthusiastically, smiling as wide as my lips will allow.

He takes my lead and really puts his all into the shake. "My name is Seth Masen and I'm three-years-old."

If I could smile wider, I would. We finish our shake and I tousle his hair. "I have a feeling we're going to be great friends, Seth."

He holds up his hands and wrinkles his forehead. "What about Jake then? I thought he was my friend."

Edward chuckles. "I'm sorry, Bella. I told him all about Jake on the way from the airport." He rubs the back of his neck. "I guess it stuck with him."

"No, that's fine, even better. I like that he wants to meet Jake," I assure him.

"Daddy showed me a picture," Seth informs me.

"Of what?" I ask him.

"Jake, silly." He laughs as if I wasn't paying attention and I guess maybe I wasn't. He was though. He was paying better attention to Edward and me than I realized.

My eyes go to Edward and he's looking around trying to focus on anything but me. I'm not mad or anything, but I also had no idea he'd taken a picture of Jake.

I focus back on Seth. "He did?"

He nods using one big exaggerated motion. "Yep, I saw him in a hospital bed. It's okay though. I gonna be his friend and make him better."

"Make him better?" I ask wondering what would make him say that.

"Yeah, make him happy he's got a new friend. All better," he says like it's obvious.

I smile at his sweetness. "Thank you, Seth. I have a feeling Jake needs a good friend like you."

"Can we watch _The Lego Movie_ , Daddy?" he begs, changing the subject almost instantly.

"I don't know," Edward responds. "Don't you wanna hang out with Bella?"

"She can watch it wif us," he explains like the answer is simple.

"Well, maybe you should ask her first."

Seth turns the big brown eyes on me, full force, and steps closer, right in front of me. "Bella, you wanna watch _The Lego Movie_ wif us?"

There's no way I could deny him even if I wanted to. "Sure, sweetie. I love _The Lego Movie_."

Edward orders snacks and drinks from room service and gets the movie ready to play. While we wait, Seth asks me if I want to see his toys. Of course I agree, and he takes my hand and leads me to his room. He shows me his favorite toys that he brought from home and tells me about some he had to leave behind. When Edward calls us out after room service arrives, he grabs his favorite blanket and leads me from the room.

We settle in on the couch together. All three of us, with Seth in the middle, his legs covered by his blanket. At first there's some space between us, but as the movie goes on and he's constantly pointing out things to me, he gets closer and closer. By the time the movie is at the end, his head is laid in my lap as he laughs at the goings on of the screen.

When movement on the other side of Seth catches my attention, I allow my eyes to find Edward. He stares at me with a confident smirk on his face.

" _See, I told you everything would be fine,"_ the smirk says.

The only thing I can do is smile in thanks. Thanks for raising this beautiful boy. Thanks for allowing me the chance to know him so easily. Thanks for assuring me this meeting would go well and most of all, thanks for giving me this moment … this moment right here.

When the credits start rolling, Seth jumps straight up, not one to savor the ending. "Did you like it, Bella?" he asks.

"Yeah, buddy, I sure did. I love this movie. Jake watches it all the time."

His eyes go wide. "Jake likes _The Lego Movie_ , too?"

I nod. "He sure does."

"Can we watch it at the hospital?" he asks.

Before I can answer, Edward breaks in. "I told you, Jake's going to be heading home soon. Maybe you can watch it at his house," he suggests.

Seth turns to me. "Can we, Bella? Please."

There's no way I can say no. "Of course you can. It won't be long and he'll be home."

"Shoot yeah." He fists pumps and I look to Edward with a raised brow.

He quickly changes the subject. "Dude, it's bedtime. You're going to have to tell Bella bye."

Seth crosses his arms. "I don't wanna. Can she read me my favorite story?"

Edward looks to me so I shrug and answer Seth. "Sure thing, honey. Why don't you go get your PJs on and call me when you're ready?"

He takes off to his bedroom without another word.

I stand up and cross my arms. "What the hell was that, Edward?" I ask tersely.

"What?" He tries to pretend he has no clue.

"You know what. That 'shoot yeah'. Sounds an awful lot like a substitution for other words to me," I point out.

He looks away and his hand goes to the back of his neck, a sure sign of his nervousness. "Well, you've met me. I can have a colorful mouth, so I do my best to curb that around Seth, and those are the types of things he picks up on." I start tapping my foot. "What? It's better than the alternative. Trust me." He snorts.

I soften, but only a little. "Sounds like you know from experience?"

Edward sighs. "Well when his third word was fuck, I had to do something."

He looks so sad at that admission that I don't have the heart to ream him anymore. It is something we'll have to get back to, but for now, I'll let it slide.

"Bella," Seth calls down the hall.

"Coming," I yell back, then look to Edward. "You joining us?"

He smiles that breathtaking smile and grabs my elbow, guiding me down the hall.

Where I read to my biological son for the very first time as he slips off to sleep.

* * *

 **New WIP rec:**

 **Vacation by AshesAshes83**

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 **And because weekdays are easier for me, next update is Friday, but that also means it'll be 6 days after that. Chapter 13 is a long one, though, so maybe that helps.**

 **Several meetings next chapter!**

 **See you Friday :)**


	13. Slow, Children Playing

**Fran, you are the shit! And Michele, Lissa, Judyblue and vampiregirl93 are my pre-reading goddesses.**

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 *****My awesome beta, Frannie Flower on FB, has created a group where she will be pimping all the undiscovered gem Wip's she finds, along with the fics of the girls she betas for. It's called Pay It Forward and if you're interested in exclusive teasers or just finding new stories, come and join. I posted my first teaser this week ;) **

**EPOV**

I jerk awake the next morning from a sharp jab and reach down to catch a foot before it pummels me again. Seth is sprawled out all over the bed, his feet digging into my side. When it dawns on me _why_ I'm in his bed, I jump up and look around suddenly.

Bella.

She was here last night.

Her soothing voice reading Seth a story must have lulled me to sleep. I survey the room, looking for any sign of her. On the nightstand, there's a small slip of paper. I reach over and grab it, then flop back onto the bed, bringing my hand up and wiping at my eyes. With my vision clearer, I focus on the note.

 _Edward,_

 _You were sleeping so peacefully, I didn't have the heart to wake you. Tell Seth that I am so happy to have met him and I will see you both today at the hospital._

 _Bella_

 _P.S. You snore!_

I can't help but chuckle. She thinks she's so funny. My mind wanders back to last night and I can't stop the smile that curls my lips. She was so nervous to meet Seth and it was all for nothing; he loved her. All it took was her to watch one little movie with him and she's his new best friend.

I crawl up out of bed and straighten Seth out under the covers. He can be a mess when he sleeps, twisting and turning all over the place. Then I head out to the living room to order us breakfast. I make it a point to order something for Bella and Jake, asking for it to be ready when I'm on my way out of the hotel.

By the time I'm at the end of my call, there's a rap on the door. Already knowing who it is, I make my way over and open it without checking.

"Morning, bro. How'd the meet and greet go last night?" Jay's a nosy fucker. I should've known he'd be here before sunrise.

My smile can't be helped. "It went great. Seth loved her just as I knew he would. She was so worried that he wouldn't."

He sticks his hands in his pocket and looks at me carefully.

"What?" I ask because he definitely has something to say.

He shakes his head. "Nothing." Then turns to walk over to the couch. "Sounds like he isn't the only one," he adds offhandedly.

I cross my arms over my chest. "What's that supposed to mean, Jay?"

He rolls his eyes. "It means that you've barely met this woman and she already has you by the balls!"

"You think I'm supposed to fight with the mother of my biological son? Make things harder than they have to be?" I grip my hair with both hands.

"It doesn't have to be a fight. A custody agreement might be a wise choice, though," he counters.

Jay's only trying to look out for me, but he has it all wrong. "How would that help? It would only make it near impossible for me to see him until it's settled in court. That's not an option I'm willing to settle for at this point."

"Well, as it is now, she could snatch that right away at any moment. Then where would you be? At least with some type of agreement you'd have somewhere to turn if that happened!" He's getting heated now and I can understand just a little bit, but he doesn't know Bella and I could never take the risk of not seeing Jake. Maybe after he meets them for himself, he'll understand better.

"Look, bro, I love you, but you don't have a clue what you're talking about. Bella would never do that to me. You do realize that she has something to lose, too?" I try to reason with him.

He throws his hands up in the air. "Back to my original point! I think you're giving Bella too much power here. You do realize she's already trying to have another kid with you and you can't even tell the first one that you're his dad!"

I furrow my brow. This doesn't sound like my brother at all. "Vic put you up to this, didn't she?" I ask softly.

His shoulders slump. "We discussed it, yes, but she makes sense, Edward. That woman has you all twisted up right now. Just look at you, smiling like a loon over her first visit with Seth."

I have to fight to keep my lips from involuntarily curving up again. "So?"

 _Yeah, that's all I've got._

"So, think, man. You need to protect yourself. You need to make sure you have rights to that little boy since you're obviously not willing to walk away," he pleads.

I take a deep breath and think about what he's saying. Some type of legal agreement would be great for both Bella, and me, but it's only been two days. We haven't had time even to consider that yet, much less talk about it. We've had so many other things to discuss, mainly because of the way I acted when I found out the news.

That was unforgivable.

Add in her proposition and this has been one fucked up, wild ride since we met. Maybe we do need to think more about the legal aspects. Right now, we have a verbal agreement, but what if I fuck up again? Will she go back on it? I'd like to think she wouldn't, but do I know her well enough to bet seeing my son on it?

It's a lot to consider, but maybe Vic and Jay have a point. My carefree, easy-going brother actually came in here and gave me some doubts. Maybe mine and Bella's truce and agreement to do the best for our sons is tentative. Maybe we do need to be more concrete.

"Fuck, man," I gripe. "Why'd you come in here and fuck up my head? Make me feel unsure of the things Bella and I have agreed on?"

He chuckles and walks over, slapping me on the back. "Looks like my job here is done."

Just then, there's a knock on the door. "Hey, can you get that? It's breakfast. I'm going to go wake up Seth."

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

As we pull up and park at the hospital, Seth's already clamoring to get out of his seat. He's holding Jake's present firmly in his grasp. We made sure to stop and get him a gift, something to break the ice, but somehow I don't think these two boys are going to have any trouble. They're both so easygoing and likable.

"Hurry, Daddy, I ready to go in," Seth says rushing me to get his buckles undone.

I chuckle at his cuteness. "Okay, dude, I'm getting you."

I get him out of the seat and grab his hand to start leading him into the hospital. Jay falls into step beside us. He's been quieter since our conversation this morning, which isn't like James at all. Vic must've made some pretty convincing arguments for him to be so concerned with my decisions.

After stepping off the elevator, I lead them to Jake's room, pausing to knock lightly on the door. Jay's beside me with the breakfast I picked up from the hotel kitchen. For Jake, I got French toast and for Bella, I got pancakes, bacon, and eggs. Hopefully, we're early enough that they haven't already eaten.

Bella opens the door and it brings an immediate smile to my face. It looks as though we woke her up. Her hair is frizzed on one side and the same cheek is tinged pink.

I can't stop myself; I bend down and place a lingering kiss on her cheek. "Morning," I say, leaning back to catch her eyes.

She returns my smile with a shy one of her own before squatting down in front of Seth. "Good morning, sweetie. What you got there?" She points to the present he's holding.

"It's for Jake," he answers.

"Honey, you didn't have to bring him anything." As she says this, she reaches out and rubs her hand down his cheek.

"Yeah I did, Daddy said so," he says matter of fact.

She just rolls her eyes at me and shakes her head. "Come on, Seth, let's go in and see if Jake's ready to wake up yet." She looks back to me for one second. "Are you two going to go down to the outpatient department to get tested?"

"Yeah, we should definitely do that, Jay has a flight later today," I agree.

"Okay, that sounds good. We'll be here when you're done." She turns to enter the room.

I grab her arm. "Wait, we also brought you guys breakfast." I reach over and take the cartons from Jay. When I catch his eyes, they're disapproving. I sigh and turn back to Bella. "Here you go, Seth already ate."

The smile that lights her face can only be described as angelic. Even knowing Jay's keen eyes are taking in my every move, I can't help but beam back. Our circle is complete with the addition of Seth; everyone that matters is here now.

She knows it and I know it.

"Bella, I know you've already gathered, but this is Jay." I point to my brother. His disapproving look fades, immediately replaced with a genuine smile. "Jay, this is Bella and you'll meet Jake after we get back."

He holds his hand out to her. "So honored to meet the woman who has my brother acting like a pansy," he jokes, or at least it sounds like he's joking.

She raises a brow, but still places her hand in his. "I'm sorry, Jay, but I don't think doing what's right for our children makes Edward a pansy at all. It makes him an amazingly, caring man who has the ability to make the tough decisions." Her eyes flick to me for one second before settling back on James. "I hope his family can recognize that and support him the way I'm sure mine will be doing for me."

"Oh, um … Of course," he stutters, thoroughly put in his place.

Smiling even wider now, I begin backing away. "Okay, we're going to uh, go get tested." I grab Jay's arm to pull him with me; he's been stunned silent.

"Wait," Bella calls out just before I turn away. "Do you want to come in with us to wake up Jake first? Help me introduce the boys?"

I realize I do. I can't believe I almost walked away. Maybe Jay has a point. I'm so twisted when I'm around Bella that I'm letting things slide that are important to me. "Of course I do, my mind is a jumbled mess."

My brother snorts, but I decide to ignore that and focus on Bella, who just smirks. "I know the feeling completely." She steps back so I can pass. "Come on."

At her next words, I stop and look back. "I'm sorry, but this is a family meeting, I hope you'll understand." She's standing there with her arm on Jay's chest, stopping him from entering.

"I am family," he replies.

"And you'll meet Jake in a little bit, but this moment is just for the four of us. I hope you can understand that," she says evenly.

He stares at her for a few seconds. "Actually, I can." His eyes meet mine, and it's clear that he really does. "I'll wait out here, Edward."

Bella closes the door and guides Seth over to the chair beside Jake's bed. She stands him on it so he has a better view. "He's still sleeping," he points out quietly.

She smiles and nods. "Sure is. Let's see if he's ready to wake up this morning."

I stand back and watch the whole scene unfold in front of me. This is a reality I never imagined a few days ago and now I can't find myself wanting anything else. With gentle caresses to his cheek, she quietly rouses him.

Disoriented, his eyes open and scan the room. Then his whole face lights up when they land on me. "Edward, you here."

I step up beside his bed. "I sure am, buddy." I motion to Seth. "Look who I brought with me."

Jake follows where I'm pointing and notices Seth standing there. "Is that Seth?" he asks me, not looking away from him.

"It sure is." I lean closer to Seth. "Why don't you introduce yourself?"

He looks at me for a second before turning back to Jake. "My name's Seth and I'm three-years-old. I brought you a present." He holds the package out to Jake.

Jake hesitantly reaches out for it and replies to Seth. "Thank you. I three-years-old, too."

"Open it, Jake," Seth nearly yells.

Jake tears into the wrapper and a huge smile spreads across his face when he realizes that it's a toy from _The Lego Movie_. "I don't have this one, do I, Mama?"

She shakes her head. "You sure don't, sweetie. Don't you need to tell Seth and Edward something?" she prods him.

"Thank you," he says. "Here, open it, Edward." He thrusts the package at me, so I pull out my pocketknife and cut into it carefully. When I've gotten the toy out, I hand it back to him. "Here you go, dude. Seth brought his own toy so you could play together."

Bella scoots the chair right up next to the bed so they can reach each other, and turns to look at me with a contented smile on her face and wetness in her eyes. "Edward, I don't know how I can ever thank you for allowing this to be so easy."

I have to swallow past the lump in my throat. "It's the right thing to do"―I tilt my head at the boys―"for them."

She blinks the wetness away and nods.

I step closer to her, placing my lips close to her ear. "But I do know how you can thank me." Then I lean back and wink.

She smacks me on the chest. "Will you ever give up?"

"Not unless you tell me to." I smirk. "And somehow I don't think that's what you want."

She doesn't say anything else on the matter. She just turns and we both watch our two boys play together. It's a magical moment created by an unimaginable situation.

After several more minutes, I go over and let the boys know I have to run out for a little bit, but I'll be back as soon as I can. With a kiss to them both, I make my way to the door.

Just as I step into the hall, Bella's voice trails after me. "I don't want that, Edward." I turn to her, my mouth gaping.

She smirks and steps back, closing the door behind her. I stare at the blankness for a few more seconds. Only then, do I turn; smack Jay on the arm and start walking down the hall.

He whistles as soon as we're a few feet away. "Holy shit, man. No wonder you're such a pussy whipped fucker."

I reach out, throwing my arm across his chest, stopping him in his tracks. Then I turn to face him. "Jay, I'm going to tell you this because I fucking love you more than anybody, aside from those boys down that hall." I point back toward Jake's room. "Bella is an amazing woman, more than just her looks. She stood up to me when I showed my ass and she cares more for Jake than I could've ever hoped, since I couldn't be there. I respect her and I'm willing to learn to trust her. I realize you and Vic are worried about me, but you need to go back home and assure her that I know what I'm doing and I won't tolerate any of you treating her any way other than respectful."

His shoulders slump just a bit. "I know, man, and I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into me." He looks to the floor. "I think I'm afraid I'm losing my brother to Seattle all over again."

I sigh because he might be right. "It's not the same, though. Before, I was young and stupid, now I truly do have something worth being here for." I scrub my hand through my hair. "Fuck, I don't know what the future holds for sure, but for right now, Seattle is where I intend to be. I'm sorry."

He reaches over and grasps my shoulder. "Man, you have nothing to be sorry for; it's me that fucked up. I'd still advise getting some kind of custody agreement, but I understand that you're doing what needs to be done right now."

I nod. "You definitely made your point on that and I can at least agree to discuss it with Bella."

He rolls his eyes. "Of course you will."

"What?" I chuckle.

"Dude, I'm surprised you didn't commandeer the hotel kitchen and cook their breakfast yourself," he retorts.

I prop my fingers on my chin and look off in thought. "Hmm, that's an idea. Or maybe I'll just wait until Jake goes home and then cook them breakfast in bed." I look back to Jay and smirk.

He just shakes his head. "No doubt you will, brother, no doubt you will."

As we start back down the hall, I bump his shoulder with mine. "Tell me you wouldn't?"

"In a heartbeat," he replies quickly.

We make our way to the outpatient center, notify them what we're here for, and then go have a seat and wait to be called. It takes about forty-five minutes to call either of us, and Jay ends up being first. I watch him go back and hope that I'm next.

Ten minutes later, a nurse is calling me.

 _About fucking time._

I follow the young blonde down several hallways until she gestures me into a room. "Have a seat in that chair, sir. A phlebotomist will be right with you."

 _A fucking what?_

I just shake my head and take the seat. Then I wait again. This time it's for another fifteen minutes. I'm about to get pissed off, but I remember what I'm here for and try to talk myself down.

Finally, a fucking flea whatever, makes her way into the room, rolling a cart behind her. A smile lights her face as soon as she sees me. I can only roll my eyes and snort. This girl's probably barely twenty-one and is looking at me like I'm the steak she's fixing to have for dinner.

"Hello, sir, my name is Jane and I'll be drawing your blood today." She smiles as if she just told me something good, not that she'd be sticking a needle in me.

"Well let's get to it then." I pull my sleeve up to my shoulder and hold out my arm.

"In a hurry, are we? It takes time to draw blood correctly. You don't want me missing a vein," she chirps while batting her lashes.

I sigh. "No, wouldn't want that, would we?"

She pulls her chair up and starts prepping my arm, talking the whole time. "If it's done right you'll just feel a little pinch. My patients always thank me for such an excellent job. So many go out of here with several holes in their arm, but I'm very good at what I do, my patients never complain."

I have to stop this madness. "While all that's well and good, could you please just shut the fuck up and do it. I have places to be."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. … "

When I don't give her anything but a hard stare, she looks to my paperwork.

"Mr. Masen, I'm not trying to be difficult, but you have no place talking to me that way."

"And I'm trying not to talk to you that way, but please, for God's sake, just draw the damn blood and let me go," I grit out. "I need to get tested and back to my very sick little boy."

She gasps. "Are you here for the Swan boy's testing? You're his father? I'm so sorry I had no idea. I'll get you fixed right up."

 _Fucking finally._

"Thank you," I say, feeling a little bad for being so rude, but ready to get back to my sons.

She smiles and gets back to work. Ten minutes later, she's escorting me back into the waiting room where Jay sits waiting for me. He stands when I approach and I just roll my eyes. "Don't ask."

We make it back to Jake's floor a little while later and when I approach his door, I knock lightly before opening it to enter. After closing it behind us, I stop and take in the people in the room; the boys are on Jake's bed with Candy Land spread out between them on his rolling tray; Bella, and who can only be her mom, are both propped on either side of the bed.

Bella turns and gives me a cheeky wink, before focusing back to her game.

"Holy hell, Edward," James mumbles out of the side of his mouth, his eyes zeroed in on Jake.

"Told you." I smirk.

Then my eyes turn to take in the two other figures in the room. One is an older doctor with white hair and he's talking to a police officer. Has something happened? My concerned eyes immediately look back to Bella, but she's paying attention to the game.

Finally, Jake notices me standing there. "Edward, you back."

Seth turns then. "Uncle Jay, come meet Jake, he my new friend."

I send Jay on over to the boys and make my way to the two men. Holding out my hand, I speak to the doctor first. "My name is Edward Masen and you are?"

The white-haired man grabs my hand. "I'm Doctor Carlisle Cullen, Jake's pediatrician."

"Ah, yes, I remember you from Bella's explanation. I can't possibly thank you enough," I say sincerely.

The police officer breaks in. "Edward is it?" At my nod he continues, "Could we step into the hall for a moment?"

"And you are?" I ask, crossing my arms.

"That would be the police commissioner." He motions to the door. "Now if you don't mind?"

Dr. Cullen side-eyes the commissioner, but says nothing, so I oblige him and step outside with him following close behind. I stop and lean against the wall, waiting for him to speak.

He doesn't say anything right away and I can't help but wonder if I've ever met this man before. There's something familiar. I hope he's never busted me for speeding or anything during my college days, back before he was in such a high position.

He takes a deep breath and finally speaks. "Mr. Masen, as you can imagine, my department is over this case and I'd like to get your personal information."

Oh, that makes sense. "Not a problem, sir. I can imagine you'll need it for the file."

"Well, I do, but I also intend to run a background check on you." I bristle a little at this new information.

"A background check? On me? Why would that be necessary?" I ask.

"You see Mr. Masen, it's my job to look after the welfare of the citizens of Seattle, and that includes Ms. Swan and her son. I can't have some man I know nothing about inserting himself into their lives without making sure he isn't some psycho." He chuckles as if he just made a fucking joke.

I am livid.

"Who in the fuck do you think you are? Do you think I'm going to sit by and be treated like fucking trash by the officer who's supposed to be looking into what happened when _my_ son was swapped with another the day he was born?" I get up in his face. "You'll be lucky if I don't report you to your supervisor for this bullshit."

He tenses up and just as he opens his mouth to reply, the door opens and Bella steps into the hall. When she sees us, she smiles. When neither of us smile back, her arms go over her chest.

"Daddy, what in the hell did you say?" she demands.

Did she just say, Daddy?

 _What the fuck!_

He turns to her, still tensed up. "I told you I'd get it myself."

 _Get what?_

There she goes with that screechy scream again. Her fists are balled at her sides and she's ready to do battle. "I asked you to wait. You could've at least let me talk to him."

"Now, Bell―"

She holds up her hand. "Don't Bella me … just go. We'll talk later." When he doesn't move, she speaks again. "Please, Daddy, I need to talk to Edward … alone."

He sighs and gives in. "Fine, tell your mother I went back to work."

Before he walks away, he places his hand on my shoulder and leans closer. "Edward, Seth is one fine young man and I'll feel privileged to get to know him, but you need to understand, Bella and Jake are my first priority right now."

I meet his eyes and give him a curt nod. I'm still pissed at the situation, but as a father, I can understand his point. He'll just have to accept that I'm here to stay. After he walks away, I focus my attention back on Bella.

"I'm sorry." She looks down to the floor.

I still want to be angry, but obviously, she had no idea he drug me into the hall under false pretenses.

I reach over and link my fingers to hers. "It's not your fault your father's abusing his power." I chuckle, still a little irked, but trying to move past it all the same.

She squeezes my fingers and looks to me again. "Jake gets to go home tomorrow, I couldn't wait to tell you," she says softly.

Now the real smile breaks through. "Seriously?"

She nods and smiles along with me. I can't help myself. I pick her up and twirl around in a circle, hugging her as close as I can. When I finally put her down, we're both high from the good news.

And maybe a little from the closeness we just shared.

"Can Seth and I pick you up and take you home?" I don't even breathe while waiting for her reply.

When it does come, it's with a simple, shy glance to the floor before meeting my eyes again.

"Yes."

And I'm on cloud nine.

* * *

 *****You guys are the most awesome ever! I can't believe SLT has surpassed 1k reviews in 12 chapters. Totally mind blowing and humbling. I know I don't always remember to say thank you in every review reply, but know that I do thank you … so much, for every single one. *sniffs***

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 *****One more thing and I'll shut up, promise. Sharp Left Turn is up for fic dive of the year at A Different Forest if you wanna go vote for it ;) There's lots of great fics and you can vote for as many as you like.**

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 **Okay, a few meetings, huh?**

 **Jake goes home next chapter!**

 **See you Thursday!**


	14. Road Narrows

**Fran is my word fixer and Michele, Judyblue, Lissa and Vampiregirl93 are my encouragers. Thank you all!**

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 **EPOV**

Yesterday was as close to perfect as I could imagine. Well except for the fucking phlebitchomist who drew my blood, and the fucking, police commissioner who I now know was Charlie Swan, aka, Bella's father. I can clearly see his point, but if he'd been truthful and direct, he would've received a better response.

After that little encounter, the rest of the afternoon was spent on games of Candy Land and getting to know each other. Renee Swan is an amazing woman and it's clear from where Bella learned how to be an exceptional mother.

Jay was pleasantly surprised after a closer look at the relationship I have with Bella and expressed as much on the way to the airport. He still suggests we discuss legal aspects, but for the most part he agreed that we're doing an excellent job given the situation.

That's all I can ask for at this point.

He and Vic will be back this weekend with the kids, and I have no doubts that Bella and Vic will get along just fine. Once you meet Bella, you realize she's genuine and caring and that'll be enough for Vic to realize I'm not being jerked around.

I've been putting off calling my parents, but know I'm going to have to soon. I just don't look forward to their reaction. They like to pretend Seattle doesn't exist and Seth just fucking appeared from thin air. When they learn he's not mine and that my biological son has been living in Seattle, there's no guesstimating their reactions.

I think I'll wait just a little longer.

Right now Seth and I are on the way to the hospital to pick up Jake and Bella. The jittery feeling inside me can't be described. It's pure giddiness. My soul is excited that my son is well enough to go home.

And I have plans.

I'm going to make this day special for Jake and Bella. She doesn't know it yet, but I am. We still have a lot to learn about each other and I hope we can start doing that very soon. Seth and I are going to be such a presence in their lives, she'll never have to know what it feels like not to be around him.

When we walk in the room, both heads turn our way and smiles form on their lips. Jake's is a full blown, toothy smile and Bella is, again, sporting that new, shy smile she's been sharing with me lately.

"Edward, Seth. You here to take me home?" Jake asks from his position on the bed. He's dressed and ready to go, his toy tightly in his grip.

I walk over and pick him up. I can't help it, he's just so damn cute. "We sure are, dude." I pull him to me and hug his little body close as I can, his excitement vibrating through him.

"Pick me up, Daddy," Seth says, holding his arms up to me.

With Jake still in one arm, I reach down with the other and grab Seth up, a boy on each hip, and my smile couldn't get any wider. When I catch Bella's eye, I notice hers is just the same.

"You gonna show me your room?" Seth asks Jake as soon as he's settled.

Jake nods his head vigorously. "Yep, I got lots of stuff we can play wif."

"Cool," Seth answers.

Jake looks to Bella. "How much longer, Mama?"

She walks closer and runs her fingers through his hair. "Not too much more, sweetie."

The softness of her touch and the caring way she speaks to my son settles deep inside of me. This woman is a mother with her every thought and action. Her every move is dedicated to love she has for our children.

It makes me want to pull her close and discover everything about her, while at the same time run as far away as possible.

But I can't.

There's nowhere else I'd rather to be. Nowhere else I want to be. Nowhere else I intend to be.

This is the beginning of a new, unknown life for us all. One in which we're entwined together forever.

I catch her eyes. "Come here," I say softly, motioning with my fingers for her to step into our circle.

She moves closer and wraps her arms around the boys across from me. We stand there close, like the family we are, relishing the moment. A small smile plays on her lips; it's a smile of contentment.

And I feel the exact fucking same.

It doesn't take long for the wiggle boys to decide they've had enough of us squeezing them between us. They start protesting and ask to be put down. With a sigh, Bella steps back and moves away, back to her packing.

"Here you go, dudes. Play on the bed while we finish getting your bags packed," I say while sliding them to the bed.

I move over and focus on Bella. "Has the doctor been in to release him yet?" I ask.

"Carlisle's already been in and told the nurse to get the paperwork started, but I also expect Alec to stop by before we can leave." She's steadily grabbing things lying around and stuffing them in the several open bags.

"Ah, good ole doctor Alec. This should be fun." I smirk.

She stops what she's doing and props her hand on her hip. "All right, you. Don't be difficult."

I hold my hands up and wink. "Never."

"Can you take these bags down to your car?" she asks, pointing to several of them.

I shrug. "Sure." I go over, being sure to invade her personal space, and bend down to pick them up from the floor. "Are you trying to get rid of me, Bella?" Her name is a caress from my lips.

Chills erupt on her arms and she steps away. "Why would you think that? I just think it will be easier to go down with fewer bags, that's all." She motions around her, and I can see her point.

At least six different bags lie around her in various stages of being packed. I grab the three she already has zipped and hold them up for her inspection. "These the ones?"

She takes account of what's left and smiles. "Yes, and thank you, Edward."

When she smiles at me like that, I can't help but feel it somewhere deep down inside. It's a foreign concept that I don't even want to explore. Maybe I can attribute it to the fact that she's the mother of my children, but somehow, I'm not quite sure that's the reason.

I take the bags down and get them settled in the trunk before making my way back inside. I never imagined on that fateful morning when I stepped through these very same doors that I'd actually enjoy entering this hospital, but I do. I'd go anywhere as long as I knew it would bring me closer to Bella and Jacob.

Getting off the elevator, I make a left and head toward Jake's room. I can already hear the boys being rambunctious before I make it to the door. But as I get closer, I hear something else. It's none other than doctor pussy. I stop and listen without entering the room.

"… So much. I can't imagine what you must be going through. First with Jake sick and now this, I don't understand how you're coping with it all," the prick says to Bella.

"It's not the easiest situation to deal with, Alec," she says, "but we've actually been working through it pretty well."

We? I guess she means me, or at least I hope.

His voice gets low, soft almost. "Bella, surely you don't mean you and Seth's father. You've just met that man. You can't just let him into your lives so easily."

"Why is that, Alec?" I can picture her standing there with her arms crossed, brow hitched.

"Uh, well …" he starts backtracking. "I just think you need to be careful. Make sure you can trust him before letting things get too far."

"Well, I think that's my business and not up for discussion with you," she replies.

He sighs. "I understand that, Bella. Here, take my card and know that if you ever need me all you have to do is call. Maybe we can grab a coffee sometime."

My muscles tense at the fucker's invitation. He thinks he's so slick, an understanding friend. Well, I have news for him, he's Jake's doctor and that's as close as he'll ever get.

"Thank you, Alec, but we'll still see you for Jake's transfusions. I don't know if anything other than that would be wise," Bella says shooting the fucker down.

"Why not? We're two consenting adults, what's a coffee between friends?" he pushes.

I've heard enough of this bullshit. Squaring my shoulders, I enter the room before Bella has a chance to respond.

"Jake's bags are in _my_ car, Bella." I walk over and place my hand on her lower back and face doctor fuckwit. "Oh, hello, Alan, sorry, I didn't see you there."

"My name is Dr. Volturi, _Alec_ Volturi," the prick says between gritted teeth.

"Sorry, I must've forgotten." I smirk then look to Bella, completely dismissing him. "Is Jake all ready to go?"

"Yep, Alec was just giving me instructions on his medication and follow-up visits." She looks to me then. "He'll still need to be monitored carefully by Carlisle and come into the hospital for transfusions."

"Actually," Alec starts, "it's a good thing you're here, Edward. It seems your blood is a perfect candidate for Jake's future transfusions. We should schedule a few visits in order to get some stored. But I'm also sorry to say that neither you nor your brother were a bone marrow match."

This new information makes me deflate, and all of my cockiness fades knowing that it's not in my power to cure my son. I don't know what I expected when I took that test, but having Alec tell me I'm not a match was never on my radar.

I let my eyes settle on Bella, and with a small nod, we both know what has to be done.

Jake will have a match, we'll see to it.

Confident with our decision, I look back to Alec. "Okay, just tell me what I need to do."

"Leave your contact information with the nurse and I'll get it set up quickly," he responds. Then he steps closer to us, looking directly at Bella. "Call me if you need _anything_."

I tense, but with a light touch from Bella, I allow my muscles relax. He means nothing in our small world of four. He can't even begin to scale the walls we've enclosed around ourselves.

Alec turns and leaves the room while Bella and I start collecting the boys and the few remaining bags. The nurse brings in a wheelchair and while they load up, I run ahead to bring the car to the entrance.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

"Take the next left and it's the third driveway on the right," Bella instructs me.

I follow her directions and arrive in front of their home. It's a two story house with a well-manicured lawn and cute, little porch. The back yard is enclosed with wood fencing so I can't see it at all, but I imagine a swing or playhouse back there.

Bella was shocked when she got to the car and I already had installed a car seat for Jake. Of course I need two seats now, it's a given. What she doesn't know, is that I also bought her a spare. Her car is still parked at the hospital, but she plans to have her sister and brother-in-law bring it to her later this evening.

Both boys are already screaming to be unbuckled, the excitement of being away from the hospital coming through. I open the door and lean in, unbuckling them both as fast as I can, while Bella heads to the front door.

They take off behind her as quickly as they can go, with Jake dragging behind just a little. I grab the rest of the bags and start to the door.

She's already standing there waiting for me. "You can just set them in the living room."

I enter her house and it says so much. It's neat, but doesn't feel sterile. Most things are in order with a stray toy scattered here or there. I drop the bags and look around. "Nice place you have here."

She smiles. "Thank you. It's home for us."

There's an open floor plan and I can see straight into the kitchen. Looks like granite and stainless steel. I can work with that.

"Come on, Seth, let's go to my room," Jake tells him already heading toward the stairs.

"Be careful, sweetie," Bella calls after them. "Jake, remember what the doctor said. You have to take it easy."

"We play on my bed wif toys," he responds as if it's a simple solution.

I walk over to Bella and grab her fingers between mine. "Just relax, he'll be okay. Why don't you go on up and help them get settled so you won't worry so much, and I'm going to run back to that grocery store we passed on the way."

She furrows her brow. "The grocery store? Why would you need to go there?"

I smirk. "Because, Ms. Swan, I'm going to go buy some things and come back and cook all of us an incredible meal."

"You can cook?" she asks, shocked.

I chuckle. "Well, I might've been in the process of opening my own restaurant before I was called to Seattle."

"Your own restaurant? As in you're a chef, professionally?" She's still staring at me dumbfounded as if she can't grasp the concept.

"Why don't you just let me show you?" I lean down and press a kiss to her forehead. "You go check on the boys, set your mind at ease." I squeeze her fingers and let go, walking to the front door.

The trip to the store is actually refreshing. Knowing I'm in the process of sharing a little bit of myself with Bella and Jake makes it somehow special. I pick up some fresh fruits for snacks, drinks, milk, eggs and a couple different proteins. She hasn't been home for a while and I want to make sure everything I might need is there because I'm sure this isn't a one-time thing.

When Bella gets a load of my cooking, I'm hoping she won't let me leave.

Arriving back at the house, I find Bella sitting on the couch when I enter with my bags. Her head snaps in my direction. "Hey, you're back." She gets up and comes over to help. "What did you buy? Let me get some of them."

"I have them, but you can help me put things away if you want." I follow her into the kitchen and place the bags on the bar.

"Gosh, Edward, you didn't say you were buying groceries," she chastises.

"I'm hoping you'll like my cooking so much that you'll allow me to do it more often." I give her a wink.

There's that shy smile again, and that's one thing Bella's not. She's a smart, independent woman who takes no shit from anyone. This shy woman in front of me now is a complete contradiction to everything I know about her. A new side that's just starting to show. I hope it's because I'm having an effect on her.

Wearing her down.

She starts grabbing things from the bags. "Maybe," she says quietly, but then a playful smirk lifts her lips. "I guess this is your test. Mess up and it's no more cooking for Chef Masen."

I grab the milk and slide up behind where she's leaning into the refrigerator putting things away. There're only inches between our bodies as I lean over her. "If there's one thing I know I won't mess up, it's cooking," I say close to her ear. "I can also assure you, there's another thing I do just as well."

I lean back and watch as chills run up her bare arms and she stays in the refrigerator just a bit longer than necessary. When she stands back up, it's with a lifted brow in my direction. "You know, all this talk you're doing, you better be able to follow through. I wouldn't want to be disappointed _if_ we ever _do_ go that route."

Just the thought of what she's saying makes my pants automatically tighten. Images flash through my mind of what can only be fantasies, as I've never seen her naked. Hot, sweaty, passionate sex between the two of us.

Fuck, she gives as good as she gets.

Every.

Damn.

Time.

Taking a few seconds to get my reactions under control, I smirk. "Bella, I assure you, _when_ we go that route you'll be so _fucking_ happy you made that choice."

She props against the bar and crosses her arms. "I called the clinic this morning."

That's the splash of cold water I needed to step back into reality. When I'm around her, it's just so easy to forget why I'm even teasing her in the first place. She's become a woman I want, plain and simple. If I have to go jack my cock to a magazine, I'll be one depressed motherfucker.

"Oh? Did you find out what you needed to know?" I ask secretly afraid of the answer.

She nods. "I did find out some things, but not enough to be sure. I'll let you know when I've had a chance to digest everything."

"Okay, until then it's fair game." I'm pushing it here, but I can't make myself stop. I'm just going to have to tempt her more if I want things to go my way.

She just shakes her head and goes back to putting things away.

That isn't a no, right?

After everything's put away, I decide to make grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. Something light and simple and then I'll really show her I can cook for dinner. She takes a seat on a bar stool and we chat about the boys, who we haven't heard a peep from and tell each other a little about our lives.

I'm impressed to learn she has her own business, too, but it's not really unexpected. Bella has proven to be an intelligent woman who has her head on straight. I share with her a little about my family and explain the closeness Jay and I have. After I've told her that, I decide it's time to bring up Jay's concerns.

"So, um,"―I rub the back of my neck―"Jay had some concerns when he was here."

She gasps. "It wasn't because I made him wait outside was it?"

I flip my sandwich and turn to face her. "No, Bella, it wasn't anything you did per say. Actually, it was before he met you."

"Oh," she says tersely.

I hold my hands up trying to placate her. "Hold on, let me explain." She nods and I continue, "You have to realize this is an unusual situation. Jay and Vic are concerned that we only have a verbal agreement. They think we should consider some kind of custody arrangement." When she opens her mouth to speak, I stop her. "After Jay met you and Jake, he has a better understanding, but it is a valid concern and something we should discuss. It would protect both of us if something happened."

She nods with a pensive expression. "I can see that point, more in in terms of making a will, though. As it stands now, there's no other person I'd want to have Jake besides his father." I suck in a huge gulp of air at her words. "But, Edward, are you afraid you'll fuck up and I won't let you see Jake?"

I'm speechless. To know that after just three days of knowing each other, she trusts me enough to leave me her son if something were to happen to her. It's something I haven't even fucking considered.

I blow out the breath I've been holding, and have to blink fast to dissipate the wetness in my eyes. "Bella." My voice cracks. "I'm so fucking honored to hear those words from you." I stop and gather myself together. "And, yes, I _am_ afraid I'll fuck up this truce."

She gets down from her stool and comes to my side. First, she takes my spatula and removes the almost burnt sandwich from the pan, turning off the burner. Then, she turns and steps beside me, placing her hand on my back. "Edward, there's almost nothing you could do to make me take Jake away from you. _Nothing._ No matter how well we get along or not, Jake is _your_ son and always will be. Even if I couldn't stand you, I'd never take him from you without a very good cause and I know you'll treat me the same. _I know it."_

I bring my fingers up and dig them in my eyes to dry the wetness before she sees. "Thank you, Bella. I'd never do that to you either. Seth is your son and will _always_ be your son."

She smiles. "I know that, Edward."

Another hurdle jumped, and I'm so over the fucking moon that I was lucky enough for Bella to be the mother of my sons. My smile lifts up to mirror hers.

This conversation ended up being more than I ever imagined. What started out as a discussion about securing our future with our sons, turned into everything that fucking matters.

I realize then that I don't need any kind of written agreement because I trust her …

I trust her with our boys.

I trust her to be the mother of any other child we might create.

I trust her to always put them first.

I trust her to do right by me when it comes to them.

I just trust her.

* * *

™ **Phlebitchomist – Edward's version of an annoying phlebotomist.**

 **Flē – bĭtch- uh – mĭst**

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 **New WIP rec:**

 **Mother Father by content1**

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 **I'll post a teaser for chapter 15 in FB group "Pay It Forward" in a few days, AND I have pics of Jake and Seth to share, so freaking excited cause they are adorable! The link is on my FF profile! Join if you want to see the goodies :)**

 **See you Tuesday!**


	15. Green Light

**Thanks to Fran for polishing my words to a shine and to Michele, Lissa, Judyblue and vampiregirl93 for giving me their comments.**

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 **Wow, thank you to anyone who voted for SLT over at ADF, it made honorable mention and I am completely blown away.**

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 **BPOV**

With our serious talk out of the way, Edward's back at the stove still trying to prove his cooking prowess. It's a vision I find myself enjoying. Seeing a man have complete control of the kitchen? It's one sexy, exhilarating sight.

In only three days, I've learned so much about this man's character just by his devotion to our sons. It's easy to grasp when you feel the exact same. Between my dad and his family, we might have to answer the tough questions and take a stand, but I know when the time comes we'll stand together.

I understand that to others, outside of Edward and me, the choices we're making may not make sense, but for us they're perfect. I completely get it, though. When you care about people you want what's best for them, but sometimes, it isn't for you to decide. You just have to trust the people you care about to make the best choices for themselves.

And Edward and I will. Of that, I have no doubt.

I sit and watch as his back muscles flex and move under his T-shirt. My eyes are hypnotized by every flip and twist of his arm. I can't seem to tear them away.

"Bella, you want to go ahead and get the boys down and get them ready to eat? Lunch is almost ready," he says over his shoulder.

When I don't respond, still lost in a haze of muscles and skin, he turns and waves his hand in front of me. "Hey, where'd you go?"

I give my head a little shake to clear it and respond, "Oh, sorry. I was just uh … thinking."

He smirks and leans against the stove. "Yeah? What about?"

He thinks he's so smart, but I'm smarter. "The fertility clinic," I answer.

His face twists up and he looks like he just sucked on a rotten lemon.

Check and mate.

"Oh, what about it?" he queries, trying to act interested.

"They said they might need as many as ten samples. I didn't know if that was something you were willing to do," I tell him.

His brows rise. "Ten? Why the fuck would they need that many?"

I shrug and look down to the granite, rubbing my hand across it to keep from looking at him. "I'm not sure. They said that they like to get a lot of samples in this type of situation; just in case."

"Just in case what?" he prods.

I continue looking away from him. "I don't know. In case you change your mind after agreeing, or to make sure they have enough or because the thought of _you_ in there doing _that_ is enough to warrant ten times."

He chuckles. "You're fucking with me aren't you? They did _not_ say that, did they?" His voice is closer than it should be so I chance a look. He's leaned across the counter, his mesmerizing, green eyes so close that I can't look away.

I swallow, his eyes flick down and back up, staring right into mine. "Do you think about me doing _that_ , Bella? Do you wonder what I look like with my cock in my hand? Do you hope that I'll think of you?"

He stares so intensely that I'm caught.

Caught in a web of confusion and lust.

Caught between what I want and what I think is right.

Caught in a situation that I'm losing control of and …

Caught in this man's grasp.

With a simple yank, I'll be pulled in completely.

I snatch my eyes away.

If I don't look at him, he doesn't have any power over me. He moves even closer. The heat from his breath caresses my face as he speaks.

"I won't force you, Bella. You have to want it, too." With those simple words, he goes back to the stove and back to his sandwiches.

"I'll … I'll get the boys," I say as I make my escape from the fire he's creating with his very presence.

Once I'm out of the kitchen and up the stairs, I have to lean against the wall to catch my breath. When I finally make it to Jake's room, the boys are on his bed playing with their Lego toys.

"Hey, Mama," Jake says when he notices me.

Seth immediately parrots his greeting. "Hey, Bella."

I approach them. "Hey, sweet boys. Edward cooked us lunch, so why don't we put these away for now and get cleaned up to eat?"

"What he make us?" Jake asks.

"My daddy's a chef," Seth speaks up. "He makes all kinds of good stuff."

Jake crinkles his nose. "What's a chef?"

Seth shrugs. "I don't know. He can cook good food."

I laugh at them both and answer Jake. "That's exactly what it means, Jake. He cooks good food."

"Okay. What he cook?" Jake holds his palms up in question.

I smile. "Your favorite. Grilled cheese."

"Oh, come on, Seth. Let's go wash our hands." Jake starts crawling down from the bed.

"Why?" Seth asks.

"Cause, you gots to wash your hands before you eat, silly!" Jake answers.

"I don't ever wash my hands before I eat unless I at Unca Jay's house. Aunt Vic does it for me then." Seth's so cute in his obliviousness, but Edward is going to get a good talking to after this.

"Well, we wash our hands here, too. So come on, let's get going." I lead them to the bathroom and make sure both of them have spotless hands before we make our way downstairs.

Lunch is an experience. The grilled cheese sandwiches are phenomenal and Jake says it's his most favorite ever. I don't know if it's because Edward made them, and he's taken such a liking to him, or he really thinks so. But either way, I'm thrilled that he's so easily accepted Edward into his life.

Afterward, we head into the living room to settle in and watch _The Lego_ _Movie_ together as a family. And we're definitely a family, an unconventional one maybe, but a family nonetheless.

The boys snuggle under Seth's favorite blanket with Edward and me on either side. By the end of the movie, both boys can barely keep their eyes open. Not only is Jake tired, which I expected at this time of the day, but Seth is, too.

"Psst." I get Edward's attention. "Looks like nap time. Let's get them to Jake's bed," I say quietly.

He nods and stands, picking Seth up along the way. I do the same for Jake and lead them up to his room. After we lay them down, I begin pulling shoes off while Edward stands and watches.

"Daddy," Seth mumbles.

"Yeah, dude?"

"Can you read us a story?"

"Yeah," Jake chimes in. "I got lots of books, don't I, Mama?"

"You sure do. Which one do you want?" I ask him.

" _Where the Wild Things Are_ ," he answers after a moment's thought.

"What that?" Seth asks.

"One of my books," Jake answers. "You not read it before?"

Seth shakes his head. "No, I not read many books. Just my favorite."

"What's your favorite?" Jake asks him.

" _Green Eggs and Ham_ of course." Seth shrugs like everybody should know that.

"Oh, I not read that book." He looks at me. "We try it one day, Mama?"

"Of course, sweetie. Maybe Seth can bring his over," I suggest.

Seth nods. "I will."

"Okay, you two lie down and I'll get the book for Edward." I go over to the bookshelf and grab it before returning it to Edward.

He settles down on the edge of the bed and begins reading. I motion downstairs, and then quietly leave the room. When I'm out of sight of the door, I slide down the wall and listen to the boys' dad read to them.

It swirls so many emotions inside of me that I can't just grab onto one.

After sitting there for a few minutes, the doorbell rings. As quietly as possible, I make my way down the stairs, hoping no one knew I was eavesdropping. If Edward knows he'll use it against me when I least expect.

When I open the door, a smile lights my face. Alice and Jasper are both standing there and my car is in the driveway.

Alice reaches out for a hug. "You're home, I'm so happy that Jake is doing better," she says.

"He's doing much better," I answer while accepting a kiss on the cheek from Jasper.

"Hey, Swany, glad to see you two are home," he says.

I smile and turn, motioning them inside. "Me too. Come on in and have a seat, let's catch up on what's been going on at the office."

"Bella, you just got home, no need to worry about work today," Alice refutes.

"I'm not _worried_ about it. I'd just like to hear what's been going on. Something different to focus my attention on for a change," I tell her.

"Why don't we focus on whose car that is parked in your driveway and where they are?" She raises an eyebrow.

I clear my throat. "Well, uh, that's Edward's car and he's―"

"Did I hear my name?" Edward's coming down the stairs, already butting into our conversation. He smiles when he sees Alice. "Alice, so good to see you again." He walks over and kisses her cheek and she blushes.

Charmer.

"Edward, I didn't realize you were here," Alice says to him, but she's looking at me.

I shrug. What can I say? I was hoping he fell asleep with the boys and I wouldn't have to answer any questions.

He waves his hand as though it's nothing. "Yeah, Bella likes keeping me upstairs."

I give him an incredulous look. "With the boys," I add, hoping she doesn't buy into his games.

"The boys?" Alice questions. "Is Seth here already?"

I nod in confirmation. "He is, Alice, but they just laid down for a nap. I left Edward reading to them."

"Oh. I'd love to meet him, but don't want you to wake them. Can we plan that soon?" she asks.

"Of course. They're not going anywhere," I answer.

"Oh?" She raises a brow.

I give her a slight shake of my head, hoping she'll drop this line of questioning.

Jasper, realizing the situation, steps forward and holds out his hand. "I'm Jasper Cullen. Nice to meet you, Edward."

Edward takes his hand. "Cullen? As in Doctor Cullen?" Edward asks.

Jasper nods. "One and the same. He's my father."

Edward slaps his shoulder and withdraws his hand. "Well, any family of Doctor Cullen's is a friend of mine." He shakes his head. "You have no idea the gift your father has given me."

Jasper disagrees, "Oh, I think I have an idea. Bella is my business partner and Jake is the coolest nephew around, so yeah, I realize what a gift they are."

"Oh, you're Jaspy then?" Edward points at him.

"Okay, why don't we have a seat and _Jasper_ was just going to fill me in on what's been happening at the office." I give Edward the stink-eye. That was supposed to be in confidence, no one is allowed to call him that but me.

Edward reaches up and rubs the back of his neck. "Uh, I think I'm going to just go clean up from lunch and let you catch up with your family."

"You don't have to do that, Edward," I object.

"No, it's fine. I actually don't mind doing the cleaning after I cook." He starts for the kitchen and the rest of us take a seat.

As soon as Alice sits beside me she leans in. "Holy hotness, Bella, he cooks and cleans? That man is a keeper."

I roll my eyes while Jasper just chuckles. Alice reaches over and rubs his arm. "Oh, Jasper, you do other things well." She winks and sits back.

Jasper fills me in on how work has been and the new accounts he's gotten. He lets me know that Tanya is holding down the fort as much as possible on my end, but she isn't me. My heart breaks a little at the news. This business is my other baby, but it has to come second to what really matters. I'm in sound financial condition … for now.

"Do you think you'll be back anytime soon?" Jasper asks after he's filled me in.

I shake my head. "I just don't think it's possible for me to be back soon. While it's true that Jake is doing pretty well right now, he has medicine to take daily, and I'm not sure he should be at daycare, no matter how close Esme will watch him. So I honestly don't have a clue what to tell you, Jasper."

He nods. "No rush, I was just wondering."

"You know, you could bring me some things and I could get stuff done from here. At least some of it," I suggest, trying to offer any assistance I can.

He puts his hand over mine and squeezes. "We'll figure it out, Bella."

We sit and chat a little longer before they get up to make their departure. "Bye, Edward," Alice calls into the kitchen with a little wave, and again, I roll my eyes.

He waves but continues wiping the counters. When I've seen them out, I go and slide up onto a stool in front of where he's cleaning.

I put my hand on his, stopping the steady wiping of the already clean counter top. "You didn't have to disappear in here, Edward. You're not my dirty little secret."

He looks up and smirks. "But I want to be."

I flutter my lashes and look down, studying the granite. When he says things like this, so completely out of the blue, it catches me off guard and I find myself lost.

My mind wanders into dangerous territory all too fast.

When I look back up, he's still smirking. He reaches over and guides my chin until I'm holding my head high. "What's with the shy glances away from me, Bella?"

I shake my head. "You just catch me so off guard sometimes. It's like I don't even know who that woman is in those moments. Trust me, I'm not her."

He winks. "I know you're not, but you are a puzzle. One that I intend to take apart and put together many times."

I roll my eyes. "Cheesy, Masen."

He shrugs. "Well I am a chef, cheese is my thing."

We stare at each other for a second before bursting out laughing. It's a good, hard laugh at our near constant banter coming to a corny head.

After we've calmed enough to talk, Edward gets more serious. "You know, Bella, just because I was in there doesn't mean I didn't hear some of what was said. I heard Jasper ask about you coming back to work."

"Yeah, I told him it just wasn't possible," I assure.

"But it is if you think about it," he starts. "Maybe not right away, but sooner than you initially thought."

"How is that?" I ask not understanding where he's going with this conversation.

He rubs the back of his neck. "I, uh"―he clears his throat―"I can keep him for you."

I almost immediately refuse him, but when my brain registers what he's actually suggesting, it gives me pause. It's not a bad idea. Maybe not right away, but in a week or two, it might not only be a viable option, but a damn good one.

He's studying me closely, looking for any clue as to what I'm thinking. When I finally do speak, he visually sags in relief. "I think that might be a good idea too, Edward … later though, not just yet."

The smile he gives me is radiant. "You're serious?"

I act affronted. "Of course I am."

"Thank you, Bella."

"No thanks needed, it is your job as his father after all," I retort.

"It is." His smile still hasn't left his lips.

Just then I hear the boys stomping down the stairs. Jake enters the kitchen first. "I hungry, Mama."

I lift a brow to Edward. "Edward's going to cook us dinner. Why don't we go show Seth the backyard and let him get started?"

"Yeah, let's show him my swing set!" Jake says excitedly already headed to the door.

He stops when he gets there and hangs his head. "Mama, when's Sam coming home? I miss him."

I walk over and rub down his head. "Aw, honey, I'll call Nana tomorrow and ask her to bring him, okay?"

He looks up with bright eyes. "Okay." And continues right out the door. "Come on, Seth!"

I glance back before going out the door and Edward is already grabbing things from the refrigerator. Continuing outside, I join the boys. They head straight for the swing and after they both get on, I take turns pushing them. They swing until Edward calls us in for dinner.

We have baked chicken strips and sweet potato fries with a dipping sauce that works for both. I'm impressed with how crunchy and delicious they are, almost exactly as if they were deep-fried. Edward made a point to mention that he wanted to make dishes the kids will enjoy, but still have them be as healthy as possible.

I'm both impressed and stuffed.

After we're finished, Edward stays to clean the kitchen while I take the boys upstairs and get them in the tub. Seth doesn't have any clothes here, but that's the plus of boys the same age; same sizes. They splash, play, and finally get cleaned and dressed. Then they take off once again for Jake's room to play.

I head back down and Edward is sitting on the couch. Not trusting his ability to play nice and ease up on the seduction, I decide to take the chair instead of sitting beside him. I just can't keep getting caught off guard and with him so close, it's begging for trouble.

He rests his head back on the couch. "Did you get the boys all squared away?"

I pull my legs under me and nod. "Yep, gave them a bath and now they're playing."

His brows rise. "Gave them a bath?"

"Yeah, they wanted to play with their toys in the tub, so I let them. I dressed Seth in a pair of Jake's PJs so he'd be ready for bed when you leave. Is that okay?" I ask.

"Of course it's okay, Bella. He's your son and"―he raises his earnest eyes to mine―"I trust you."

Those words leaving his lips make me take a deep breath of relief. I've earned his trust and he has mine. The bond has been built in such a short time, but it's strong and we will get through this.

"I trust you, too, Edward." The smile he gives me is reverent, appreciative.

We sit and chat for a while longer about less serious things and when it comes time for him to go, we make our way upstairs to collect Seth.

When we get to Jake's door, Edward grabs my arm to stop me from entering. With a finger over his lips and a tilt of his head, my attention turns to the boys. They're both lying on Jake's bed, under the covers, sound asleep. We stand with adoring looks, taking in our little boys who make the most adorable sight ever.

I grab Edward's arm and pull him from the doorway. When we're far enough away as not to wake them, I stop. "I hate to disturb them."

He runs his hand through his hair. "I know. I hate to wake him, but I need to get him back to the hotel."

"Maybe,"―I glance down to the floor, then steel myself and look back, straight into his eyes―"maybe you could just sleep in the guest room."

He steps closer and I move back until I hit something firm behind me; the wall. His arms go up on either side of my head and his lips move closer. He's leaning in and I don't have the desire to stop him.

His cheek brushes mine, as his lips land just centimeters from my ear. "Bella, if I'm staying tonight, it'll be in your room," he says lowly, his voice; pure sex.

I swallow and still don't have the ability to speak―to object.

His lips move to my neck and skim the oversensitive skin there; up and down, over and over they glide and caress. I'm frozen in my spot. Afraid to accept, but even more afraid not to. My hands fist his shirt, itching to feel the flesh beneath.

His lips leave my neck and make their way down my jaw to the corner of my mouth. I turn my head to meet them and my world brightens―everything becomes clear.

I want this man.

And tonight, I will have him.

* * *

 **I guess a lot of you found the group on FB, since Jake and Seth received so much love. Thank you all and if any of you want in and are having problems, just PM me.**

* * *

 **Now, one more thing and I'm done. I need opinions and I have two options for you:**

 **Next post is Friday, but you wait a week for 17, until the next Friday … or**

 **Next post is Monday, and you get 17 Friday, which is only 4 days?**


	16. Slippery When Wet

**Fran is my beta extraordinaire and Michele, Lissa, JudyBlue and Vampiregirl93 pre-read for me and in this chapter's case, several times even. *smooches***

* * *

 **EPOV**

Her tongue invades my mouth and her very essence invades my soul, filling me with a need I've never felt before—a need to consume every fucking inch of her.

So I do.

I grip my hands in her hair and twist her to my will, exploring every dip and crevice of her mouth with my tongue. She latches onto my wrists and battles with me every step of the way.

I expect nothing less.

When we finally break apart, I pull back and stare into her eyes. "Bella, are you sure you're ready for this?" I lean closer, caressing her ear with my lips. "I want to invade every inch of you. I want to bury myself so deep you'll feel me for days, but I won't do it if you're not ready."

She fists my hair and tugs, bringing my mouth back to hers, placing a small kiss there before moving her lips to my ear. "Fuck me, Edward."

I drop my head to her shoulder, barely able to keep myself in check. Her words causing my cock to harden even further. "Please say you mean it, Bella. Say it one more time, I need to be sure this is what you want." I look up and take her in.

Her breathing is unsteady and her eyes are wild with lust. "Don't back out now, Edward. You've teased me for days." She leans closer and purrs, "I _want_ you inside of me. I _want_ you so deep I'll feel you for days. Every time I take a breath, I want to feel where you've been. _Do it."_

My eyes widen and my body reacts. My hands move around her back and down to her ass, giving it a firm squeeze. I allow my fingers to follow the seam of her jeans to where the heat is a welcoming sensation, applying pressure.

She moans.

"I'm going to fuck you so good, Bella," I say breathy and low, as I slide my fingers back and forth. "I'm going to make you come so hard. I'm going to put my cock right here"―I press my fingers where I know she wants me―"and fuck you until you beg me to stop. I've been waiting for this, and I'm going to make it count. "

"Show me," she pants, stepping away from the wall. Grabbing my hand, she begins to lead me down the hall to her bedroom.

As soon as we're inside, she strips her shirt off and slings it across the room, turning to me. "What are you waiting for?" she asks.

I don't need more of an invitation than that. I step closer and do the same with my shirt. Her eyes immediately go to my chest. I smirk, and kick my shoes off then reach for the button of my jeans. Her eyes follow my fingers. I snap it open and ease the zipper down, just enough to give my aching cock some relief. Then I step up against her.

Bare skin almost touching.

 _Yeah, I've got this_ …

I glide my fingers along her bra and around to the clasp. Seconds later, it comes free and the straps fall from her shoulders, allowing it to land at our feet. I cup her tits, so full in my palms. Her nipples harden from my touch.

"So beautiful, Bella."

She stands there panting, allowing me to explore. I let my fingers roam down even further, across her flat stomach and down to the button of her jeans. With a simple flick, it's open and the zipper follows.

She steps back and pushes them, along with her sexy thong, down her long, creamy legs, baring herself to me completely.

Not able to stop myself, I step forward and wrap my arms around her, lifting her and sitting her on the bed. She scoots back even further, beckoning me to follow.

Ridding myself of the constrictive clothing left on my body, I place my knee on the bed and move in. Starting at her ankles, I kiss, suck and caress my way up her body, making sure to avoid her pussy. I make my way upward until we're lying there with my body covering hers.

Nose to nose.

I frame her face with my palms. "You're exquisite Bella. Perfect." I line my cock against her soaked pussy, reveling in the sigh she emits. "You feel so fucking good. I'm going to make this so fucking good for you, you'll see."

"Please," she pants.

 _I got this …_

I start down again, this time with only one destination in mind. My lips suck and caress across her gorgeous tits then move down her stomach. Licking and nipping all the way down to where she wants me the most.

Where I've been fucking dying to be for days … I know she'll live up to my expectations. She always does.

 _I'm so ready …_

I lean up and push a finger inside, then add another, before working my tongue over her clit. I start with long, slow licks, circling her over and over until I feel the wetness coat my fingers. Then I switch focus and suck hard, until she thrusts up and down, riding my fingers and tongue searching for her release. When it comes, it's a long slow ride where I'm the driver … I give and give until her pussy convulses no more.

I sit up on my haunches and smirk. "Ready for number two?"

 _Cause I am …_

She reaches up and twines her hands into my hair, bringing my lips to hers. Our tongues thrust in tune with our bodies, but soon it becomes too much so I pull away. I see worry in her eyes; she's thinks I'm stopping; changing my mind. Being so close to her this way has taken my breath away. I'm so charged up I might blow. My cock is so hard. It's never been this way for me.

 _I'm losing it over this woman …_

I kiss her, putting her worries to rest as I pump my cock with my hand. She can't seem to take her eyes off what I'm doing and slowly reaches out to take me in her hand. I stop her because I know this will all be over if she touches me now.

 _I'm in so deep, and still not where I want to be …_

I line myself up against her pussy, never taking my eyes away from hers. With one push, I slide in as far as her body will allow.

 _Jesus fucking Christ …_

The feeling of being buried inside her is almost too much.

She's so tight and hot, that I'm afraid I'll explode if I move right this second, so I stay still.

Perfectly still.

I slowly pull back and push into her again. Her legs curl up and encase me with their length. I lift and start to move back and forth, in and out, over and over.

Moans echo in the silence.

Hands grab bare skin.

Lips taste and devour.

Our passion builds to a fever pitch.

Our bodies move in tune as if they're doing a secret dance; one only we know.

When she's on the brink, I slow it down only to build her up once again.

It's a battle.

A battle of wanting to peak, yet never wanting it to end.

Her hands are gripping my back, nails digging in tightly.

It only spurs me on.

I thrust harder and faster.

Deeper and longer.

 _Yeah, I fucking got this …_

"Come on, baby." My muscles are tense and my cock is throbbing for release. "Do you feel it? Do you feel how rock hard I am for you, right now? Jesus, Bella, I don't think I've ever been this hard, ever been this deep. Do you feel my cock pumping in and out of you? Feels good, you feel so good."

Her breathing escalates.

"That's it, Bella. Let it go. Give it to me, give me everything. Let me feel your tight, hot pussy clamp onto my cock," I growl into her ear.

"Ahh, Edward … " Her nails dig deeper and her walls start to grip.

She tenses and begins to flutter around me. I pound harder, faster. Her moans grow louder and I give until I've drained every last spasm from her body.

 _I want it all …_

All at once it becomes too much for me. I pump and pump, chasing after my own orgasm until I can finally feel my release take over.

Then I collapse.

Spent.

After catching my breath, I lift up and meet her eyes. "Sorry, I didn't mean to squish you."

She smiles, that lazy, just-fucked smile. "I'm good."

I lean down and give her a peck, because I need to.

"So fucking good, right?" I smirk.

She swats me and I roll beside her, only to have her turn to face me.

"You know you can't stay in here, right?"

I almost pout. "Why not? You get what you want from me―hot steamy sex―and now I get kicked out?"

She rolls her eyes. "We can't have the boys catching us."

I sigh. "I know."

"Besides, friends with benefits don't sleep together," she adds.

"What about parents with benefits?" I wink.

She giggles. "I like that, actually, but no, I don't think they do either."

This time I really do pout.

I don't know why it even bothers me. I'm a man and shouldn't want to cuddle, but for some reason the thought of getting up and leaving her naked in this bed brings me more disappointment than it should.

I inch closer and push a sweaty curl behind her ear. "You know, if you send me to the guest room, I can't wake you at four a.m. for round two. And you know you want more of this," I say motioning over my still heated body.

She runs a finger up my chest. "Although that was mind-blowing, I think once … or twice in my case"―she smirks―"is enough for tonight."

I move even closer, trapping her hand to my body. "Mind-blowing, huh?"

Her lashes flutter. "You know it was." I can feel her breath, she's so close.

I push closer and cover her mouth with mine. She responds. I lick her lips and she opens, granting me entrance. Our tongues do a dance as old as time. Slipping and sliding and twisting and turning and breaking apart only to dive back in again.

She can feel my body reacting and pulls back with a wink. "Ah, ah, ah, Chef. You'll have to devour me another time. My body needs rest."

"Invitation accepted," I growl. "But damn, woman, you're going to drive me mad."

She bats her eyes and places her hand on her chest. "Little ole me?" she asks with a horrible southern accent.

I chuckle. "Yes, you." I kiss her one more time. "All right, since you won't let me stay, I guess I'll go sleep in that dark, lonely guest room."

I slowly start to crawl from the bed, hoping she'll stop me, but she doesn't. She lies there and watches as I throw on my briefs and shirt. When I'm sure she's sticking to her guns, I grab my shoes and jeans and start making my way from the room.

"Mmm, it was mighty fine having you here, but it's almost as good watching you go," she calls out as I'm walking out the door.

I stop and turn. "Don't push it, Bella. I'm sure I can easily change your mind if I really try."

She covers her mouth, probably to keep me from seeing her smile. "Oops, sorry. See you in the morning." She rolls over, pretending to fall fast asleep.

I just smile at her adorable self and make my way down the hall to the only other room I haven't been in. Stripping my shirt off, I climb into bed. Only sleep doesn't come as quickly as I'd like.

Once I got over the shock of the situation, being here for the boys was my number one priority. But now I'm finding myself drawn to this woman. She's turning my life upside down in the best of ways.

I miss her body next to mine. I want to feel what it's like to snuggle her close and fall asleep with her in my arms. I'm kinda bummed she kicked me out and I know that it's ridiculous, but I can't help it, I'm beginning to crave her presence.

 _Time to up my game._

I want to lie beside her and hold her close and I need her to want that, too.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

I wake early the next morning with thoughts of cooking breakfast on my mind. I get up and slip my jeans over my legs and head down to the kitchen. What I see there pulls me up short.

Bella is sitting at the bar with a cup of coffee in front of her. She turns when she hears me, her eyes dropping to my chest. "Couldn't sleep?" she asks, bringing them back to meet my eyes.

"Actually, I slept fantastically." I smirk, stretching my arms over my head and flexing my muscles. "I was coming down to cook breakfast before you guys woke."

Her eyes once again wander and I can't help but flex a few more times. Then I clear my throat.

Her eyes jump back to mine. "Stop it!"

"What?" I ask innocently.

She turns back to her coffee. "You know what."

I take the stool beside her and caress down her arm. "I can't help it, Bella. You do this to me." I grab her hand and place it on my hardening cock. "I want you every time I see you," I say lowly.

She pushes down a little harder, then pulls her hand back and looks at me. "We need to set some ground rules."

I start to say something, but she continues before I get the chance. "Last night was incredible, Edward, and I want to do it more, but we need to know where we stand. There's more at stake than just us. We have the boys to think of and I think we need to tell them."

My brows furrow. "That we're fucking?"

She smacks me hard on my bare chest. "No, you idiot!"

I rub my chest where it's already turning red. "What was I supposed to think? One minute you're talking about us fucking and making ground rules, and then you say we need to tell them."

She rolls her eyes. "You're supposed to think with your head."

"I was," I answer with a smirk.

She chuckles. "What am I going to do with you?"

I wiggle my brows. "I can think of something."

"Stop it!" She laughs out right now, then sobers up. "We need to tell them about us being their parents."

The joy that simple statement brings is everything right now. "I told you, Bella. I'll go with whatever you think is best." Even though I am deferring to her, I want this.

 _I want it bad._

"Okay, then, ground rules," she says. "No sleeping together. I can't have the boys catching us in the same bed in the mornings; it'll only muddle up an already confusing situation."

My brows lift into my hairline. "Um, Bella, Seth and I live at the hotel, so that scenario is unlikely. Did my mind-blowing sex make you forget that fact?"

She looks down at her coffee. "I know, but I was hoping you'd want to stay here. The boys can share Jake's room for now and you can have the guest room."

My mouth gapes open. "I, uh … "

"You don't have to; I just thought it would be easier, at least for now. Never mind … Forget I asked." She covers her face with her hands.

I pull them away. "Bella, we'd love to stay here, but are you sure that's what you want?"

She sighs. "I don't want the boys separated right now and I don't want us separated from our boys. It seems to be the most logical solution."

I think over what she's saying and realize it's an _excellent_ solution, but I can't help but wonder if I can keep my hands to myself and my body in the guest room. Everything about her is pulling me in. From her strong, motherly instincts to the hot as fuck sex we had last night. I can't make myself wipe those images from my mind.

I lean closer to her. "Seth and I will happily accept your invitation, but I make no promises on the ground rules." I place my lips to her ear. "Just the thought of my cock sliding in and out of you makes me hard as a rock." I lean back in my own space.

Chills run up her arm. "Edward," she grits. "I want this to work, but we can't get confused. Remember the reason why we're doing this."

 _Like a bucket of ice water, the reality washes over me_.

She slept with me to make a baby so we can save Jake.

Nothing more.

Her reasoning is just, but it's painful as fuck to hear.

I rub my chest, right over my heart where it hurts the most. "Okay, I get it." I start to stand.

She grabs my wrist, holding me in place. "Ground rule number two, always remember the reason."

"I get it, Bella it's all about helping Jake." I stand to walk away.

"That doesn't mean we can't enjoy it," she calls out to me.

I stop and turn. "Did you, Bella? Did you honestly enjoy it? Because the ground rules make me think not so much."

"Do you even need to ask?" She winks and all the tension leaves my shoulders. "The ground rules are for the best and we'll add to them as we go. We'll learn and move forward, that's the only way this"―she motions between us―"will ever work successfully."

"I can live with that. Now time to add my own ground rule," I say cheekily.

She motions for me to go ahead and crosses her arms waiting to hear my decree.

"In order to keep myself in check, you're going to have to wear sweats and turtlenecks daily," I say as seriously as I can.

She stands and puts her hand on her hip. "Are you saying that what I'm wearing bothers you, Chef Masen?"

I eye her up, from her sexy bare feet, all the way to her creamy thighs and then to the miniscule shorts she's wearing. My eyes continue their trail from there, to the tiny tank top with little skinny straps. I'm almost salivating by the time I'm done.

I march over to stand in front of her. "Oh, it's no bother." I lean closer. "As long as you're okay with me fucking you on this bar."

She giggles and pushes me away. "All right, Casanova, get to work on breakfast." Then she winks. "We'll have to work on the bar another time."

My smile is ear to ear as I get started making pancakes, whistling as I work. My mood is high right now. Seth and I are going to be staying here and we're going to tell the boys we're their parents. Tack on that fuck hot sex and I'm one happy man right now.

 _Yeah, I got this._

She heads upstairs to wake the boys and get them down to eat. Just as I'm finishing up, all three of them enter the kitchen. Bella has changed into sweats and a T-shirt. Still not enough to turn me off, but definitely better than earlier.

"Morning, boys." I smile at them both as I load the pancakes and syrup on the table.

"Morning, Daddy," Seth says. "What kind of pancakes are these?"

"Banana nut," I answer.

Bella crinkles up her nose. "Those are Jake's favorite."

"You don't like them?" I ask, worried she won't have anything to eat.

She shakes her head. "No, but that's okay, I'll just pop some toast in."

"You sure? I can make you something else," I offer.

She just shakes her head and heads for the toaster.

Jake speaks up. "How you know I like nana nut the best?"

"I didn't, dude, but they're mine and Seth's favorite, too," I tell him.

Seth nods along with my statement.

"Cool," Jake replies.

I help the boys get their pancakes ready and then load my own plate. By this time, Bella has joined us at the table.

We're all eating away when suddenly Seth speaks up. "Jake, your hair looks just like my daddy's in the morning."

Bella's toast hits her plate and my jaw stops chewing. Her eyes widen in panic, but I try to convey that this is the opening she needs.

"You know, it does look like mine," I say hoping Bella will speak now, because there's no way she's leaving this to me. I'm sure to fuck it up royally.

She clears her throat. "Well, uh, boys, uh …"

Both of them are staring at her waiting to hear what she is trying to say.

"What Bella is trying to say is there's a reason Jake's hair looks like mine," I start, trying to prod her with my eyes into taking over before this becomes a clusterfuck.

She finally does. "Your daddy and I have something we need to tell you."

And they continue to stare.

"Okay, um, the thing is … um, Jake looks like your daddy, Seth, because he's _Jake'sdaddytoo_ ," she finally blurts.

"I not got a daddy," Jake says to her.

She gets on her knees in front of him. "Yes, baby, you do. Edward's your daddy."

Jake turns to Seth. "Your daddy is my daddy, too."

Seth nods. "Yep." He turns to me. "Does that mean we brothers?"

"It sure does, dude," I tell him almost choking up at the scene in front of me.

"But he gots a Mama and I don't," he pouts, then turns to Jake. "Can your mama be my mama, too?"

Bella gets teary eyed and Jake just nods away before turning to Bella. "Can you, Mama?"

She's so emotional and I need to make this right for her. I go over and squat down in between the boys. "Seth, Bella is your mama." I look between them both. "I am your daddy and Bella _is_ your mama. We're your parents and you're each other's brother."

Seth fist pumps. "Shoot yeah." Dammit, the kids trying to ruin my moment here with that crap, but Bella, being the awesome person she is lets it slide … this time.

"I gots a brother," Jake sings and goes back to his pancakes.

Bella has tears running down her cheeks so I go to her, wiping them away. "Don't cry, Bella."

She smiles. "Happy tears, Edward. Happy tears."

Then Seth speaks up once more. "Aren't mamas and daddies posed to be married?"

Right now, _I got nothing …_

* * *

 **Well, there you go … I'll respond to who I can today, but it may be Monday before I finish.**

 **Next chapter posts Friday and it will not pick up right here, but this will be addressed.**


	17. Barrier Ahead

**Thanks Fran for beta'ing this bad boy and Lissa, JudyBlue, Michelle and Vampiregirl93 for reading through these.**

* * *

 **BPOV**

These past two weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions. From devastation to hope to shock to being unsure and back to hope. Now I'm finally settled into contentment. Jake is home, Seth and Edward are staying here, Edward and I have moved forward with my crazy plan and we've explained to the boys that we're their parents.

That conversation was surprisingly easy. I guess, as three-year-olds, it was a simple concept for them to accept. As they grow, we'll definitely have to explain it better, but for now, they know the basic facts.

The ones that matter, anyway.

I'm their mama and Edward is their daddy.

When Seth blurted out the marriage question, both Edward and I were stunned silent, but after several seconds, Edward had the sense to explain that not all parents are married. We used it as a learning experience and tried to make them understand that families come in all types and they should be thankful to have both parents now. Again, they accepted it easily enough and the subject was dropped.

Now, it's Friday and Edward's brother and his family are due to arrive in Seattle in a couple hours. I'm a little nervous to add more family and their opinions to the mix, but at the same time, I have faith in the bond we've created in just these few short days. It's solid and we'll get through any objections to our decisions together.

Edward … I sigh just thinking about him. He's a contradiction that's come to ruin me. From his loving father side to his sexy chef side and then his fuck-me-gloriously side, I'm at a loss. He's made himself impossible to resist and yet, I don't even want to. This is supposed to be all about Jacob and yet I find myself enjoying it too much, almost forgetting the reasons.

I can't let that happen. I can't fall for this man who shares this remarkable future with me and my sons. If something were to happen, it would tear us apart in a way that I can't allow. So I won't go there. I will remember my reasons and stand firm, even if every move he makes sets my body on fire and my pulse racing.

Like right at this very moment, he's upstairs, reading to the boys again. How can I resist things like that? It melts my heart completely and I find myself imagining things that can never be.

The doorbell brings me right out of those fantasies and while I get up to answer it, I realize that's all they can be―fantasies.

When I pull the door open, there's an older man and woman standing there that look oddly familiar, even though I've never seen them before. "Hello, may I help you?"

The man clears his throat. "Ah, yes, we're looking for Edward Masen. This is the address we were given, but it must be a mistake."

It's then that I realize who these people are. Why didn't Edward warn me of the arrival of his parents? I understood that it was just Jay and his family.

I must've been lost in my musing too long because the man speaks again. "We're sorry to have bothered you."

Just as they start to turn, I reach out and touch his arm. "No, sir, you have the right house. Edward is here."

He stops and narrows his eyes. "And you are?"

Oh boy, they have no idea whatsoever, and I'm at a loss as to how to handle the situation. Dammit, Edward, what the fuck am I supposed to do now?

I cross my arms. "I think that would be better explained by Edward. Won't you come in and I'll get him."

He stands firm. "Now you hold on just a minute, young lady, I asked you a question."

My brow rises at his tone. "Excuse me? I answered your question as much as I'm going to. You need to ask your son. Now you can stand here and wait or you can come inside, either is fine with me, but―"

"Bella," Edward interrupts coming down the stairs. "What's going on?"

I cut my eyes to him in hopes that he can feel the laser beams shooting from them. "Oh, I don't know Edward, maybe _your parents_ are standing at my door."

He stops in his tracks and his eyes widen. "What?"

Oh, so maybe he wasn't expecting them. That softens me, but only a touch. I have no intentions of being put in the middle of this conversation. I approach where he's standing stock still. "Yes, your parents, and your dad has questions." I lift a brow at him. "I'll leave you to it."

He grabs my wrist before I can walk off. "No, Bella, please stay." He glances toward the door. "I haven't told them anything and I swear I have no idea what they're doing here."

I sigh. "I get that, Edward, but are you sure you want me here for this conversation? It might only make it worse," I say quietly.

He sags just a bit. "It might make it worse for them, but I want you here, Bella. I can't make any promises on their reactions, but I _can_ promise to tell them to fuck off if they disrespect you, Jake or our decisions."

I tilt my head and brush his arm, trying to offer my kindness. "Edward, I don't want you to argue with your parents over me."

He grabs my hand and holds it in his. "You and Jake are worth it and they'll see that or they won't. It's that simple."

A throat clears bringing us out of our quiet discussion. "Well, by all means don't let me interrupt. I have all day to stand here."

Edward's jaw clenches before he grabs my arm, turning me to face them. "Mother, Father, allow me to introduce you to Bella Swan. Bella, these are my parents, James Edward and Elizabeth Masen."

I put on a polite smile. "Hello, nice to meet you both."

"Cut the crap, Edward. You have some serious explaining to do," his father growls.

"What the fuck are you even doing here right now?" Edward demands, crossing his arms over his chest.

His mother gasps. "Language, Edward, and your brother gave us the address. We were supposed to meet him here this afternoon, but your father wouldn't wait."

"Well, let's have a seat," Edward instructs, waving his hand toward the sofa.

I clear my throat. "Would either of you like something to drink?"

Mr. Masen sits in the recliner, stiff as a board. "No, what I'd like are some goddamn answers."

Edward's fists ball at his sides. "Well, maybe if you hadn't barged in here unexpected, we wouldn't be in this situation."

"Where is _here_ , Edward, and why are _you_ here?" Mr. Masen demands in a steely voice.

Mrs. Masen and I take a seat on the sofa while Edward sits on the arm next to me, but faces his father. "Look, Dad. It's a complicated story and I'm not sure how you're going to react which is why I haven't called you. I won't have you blowing up and upsetting anyone when I answer your questions."

"How am I supposed to react, Edward, when I find out my son has canceled all work on his business and taken off to Seattle?" he asks and then continues without giving Edward a chance to respond. "All of that without breathing a word to your mother or me."

Edward rubs his forehead and then slides his hand straight to his hair. "It was sudden. I left, coming here for a business meeting and ended up with so much more than I ever imagined. I, uh … I won't be leaving it behind either, I'm staying here."

"Are you telling me you've left your life in Chicago behind for another floozy?" It's Mrs. Masen that speaks this time and my head snaps in her direction.

"Excuse me?" I say to her.

Her eyes flick over me before meeting mine again. "If you think for one minute that you can trap my son here is this lousy city, then you're seriously mistaken," she sneers.

I lean closer as if to share a secret with her. "See, the thing is, I don't want your son, Mrs. Masen, but I have someone who does, and I can guarantee Edward will never leave him." I lean back and cross my arms.

"What do you mean, him?" she asks, her brows furrowed.

Edward answers for me. "She means my son, Mom. My son Jacob."

His mother gasps and his father jumps from his seat. "What is the meaning of this! Suddenly some woman contacts you and says she has your kid and you just up and run to Seattle?"

Edward stands, jaw clenched, fists balled, eye-to-eye with his father. "No, Dad. That isn't what happened," he grits out. "But if you sit down and shut the fuck up, I'll explain it to you."

When his father goes to sit in the recliner again, Edward stops him. "Dad, please, sit with Mom. Bella will sit in the recliner."

His father huffs but does as he's asked. Edward walks over, sitting on the arm of the recliner and laces his fingers through mine. Then he faces his parents and takes a deep breath. When he opens his mouth this time, the whole tale starts pouring from his lips. His parents sit there with shock on their faces, along with occasional anger from his father, as he tells them what brought us here to this moment.

When he's completely done, no one says a word for several minutes. Mr. Masen finally clears his throat and speaks. "Have you contacted a lawyer?"

Edward gives my hand a gentle squeeze and speaks. "We've discussed it and agree that we need to make sure our wills are in order, but other than that, we're perfectly fine with the arrangement we now have."

"And what is that arrangement, son?" his mother asks.

"We've spent too much time away from our boys―years without seeing them. We don't plan on having to do that again for the foreseeable future. Seth and I will be staying here until Bella and I decide otherwise," Edward states, determination ringing from every word.

"And Jacob needs us to take a test to see if we're a match?" Mr. Masen asks.

"Yeah, Dad, we need everyone who's related by blood to get tested." His father seems to be weighing Edward's words, trying to decide if what he's hearing is actually possible.

"Do you plan to sue the hospital? I'm sure I can get you in touch with the perfect attorney for a case like this." Is this his biggest concern after all Edward's told him? My hand clenches in Edward's grasp.

"Dad, that's really not what's important to us right now. Again, Bella and I will discuss how to handle that, but I can assure you, it'll be much later down the road. We have more important things to consider at the moment," Edward answers tersely.

At least his father has the decency to look chastised while his mother sits with watery eyes. Before anything further can be said, Jake starts making his way down the stairs.

"Daddy Edward, you didn't finish the story." He's rubbing his eyes and carrying his book in his hand. He woke up earlier than usual and wants Edward to read him back to sleep.

My heart melts.

Edward gets up and collects him from the bottom step and brings him over. His eyes are on mine, silently asking if it's okay to introduce Jake. Of course it is, I give him a slight smile to let him know.

His mother gasps and tears start pouring down her cheeks. "Ed, look. He looks just like our boy." She's a snot-sobbing mess, so Mr. Masen reaches in his suit jacket, pulls out his handkerchief and passes it to her.

When he's done that, his eyes settle on Jake and they too hold unshed tears. He swallows them back. "And what about Seth? Where does my grandson fit into this?"

Jake speaks up. "Seth's my brother." His words are so simple, but hold the truth of the matter in their very grasp.

Edward nods in agreement. "Exactly. Jake and Seth are brothers bound by circumstance; Bella is their mother and I'm their father. It's as simple as that, Dad."

"And what happens if you and Bella don't agree?" Mr. Masen turns his apologetic eyes to me, waiting for an answer.

I completely understand his need to ask, so I give him a firm reply. "We'll act like adults. We'll discuss the pros and cons of each perspective and we'll decide from there." I lean forward so there'll be no mistaking my sincerity. "Edward and I both want the same thing and that's what makes this so easy."

"What is that exactly, Miss Swan?" he asks, brow raised.

I shrug. "Simple. What's best for our boys."

He studies me carefully, looking for what I'm not sure. Apparently he finds whatever it is because he gives me a nod and turns back to Edward who has a sleeping Jake propped on his shoulder.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

Several hours later has both boys up from their nap, Edward in the kitchen on dinner detail and his parents still here while we wait for Jay and his family's arrival. Ed is in the kitchen at the bar with Edward, and Elizabeth and I are in the backyard watching the boys play. Sam is finally home and he's taken to Seth, just as he did Jacob.

Elizabeth clears her throat. "Bella, forgive me if I'm overstepping, but I can't help but notice the bond you and my son have formed. Is this something I should be concerned with?"

I continue watching the boys, giving myself time to form a response that will satisfy her without saying more than I should. "We do have a bond, Mrs. Masen," I say still watching the boys. "It's right out there in that yard. Neither of us want to part with either son, so this is our compromise. I hope you can understand that, but I also won't ask for your permission either."

"Please, call me Beth, and I can understand that to some extent. The question is, can you really keep it at just that?" she asks.

I turn to her. "We have to, it's our only option."

The back door opens interrupting our conversation. Edward is standing there holding it open as two young boys fly past him and straight to our boys. Next, is a woman with curly, fiery red hair and a protruding stomach. Edward takes her arm and leads her over to where Beth and I are sitting.

"Bella, Vic. Vic, Bella," he says with no preamble at all. "I'm going to leave you two to get acquainted." With a wink in my direction, he turns and walks straight back inside.

Beth's brows rise as if to say, "See, how are you going to resist that?" And she's right, I am afraid that I won't be able to, but I won't let her know that yet. I just chuckle and shake my head as if the notion is ridiculous.

Vic slides into the chair beside us and turns to me with a smile. "Well that was nice of him, wasn't it?" she says sarcastically.

And I know right that very second, we're going to get along just fine. We talk and chat and even though she knows our baby plans, she never brings it up. She has class and I can tell that from just this one meeting. She'll wait until we're alone before expressing her concerns and I can respect that she has them.

It's one crazy plan, but for Jake, we'll do anything.

It isn't much longer before Edward's at the door again, this time it's to call us inside for dinner. All four boys take off to clean up and I stand and offer Vic my hand. She rolls her eyes but accepts the boost.

Dinner is a lively affair. Everyone seems to be settled into the idea and accepting of the situation we've found ourselves in. It feels like a family get together and in reality, that's what it is. Lots of new additions to mine and Jake's already large family.

"Edward, would you mind if we held another get together on Sunday?" I ask.

His brow furrows. "Sure, Bella, what are you thinking?"

I glance around the table and a small smile curves my lips. "I'd like to have my family and yours all join us. Maybe a cookout? We might as well all get to know each other in one swoop."

Vic speaks up. "That sounds perfect, Bella. I'd like to meet your family as well."

Beth nods in agreement. "That sounds lovely. We're going to the hospital tomorrow morning and our flight leaves Sunday night, but a barbeque in the afternoon would be perfect."

Edward smirks at me from across the table. "Sounds like the women have spoken. I'll run to the grocery store in the morning and you call and invite everyone."

I return his smirk with a huge smile of my own. "Thank you, I'll call them while you shop."

He stares at me for a beat longer before I turn away, only to catch Beth with her own smirk curling her lip. I can do nothing but look away, straight to where Jake is slipping Sam food from his plate.

"Jacob!" I reprimand.

He shrugs. "What? He likes it."

"Sure does, Mama," Seth chimes in. "See?" He drops another bite of food right into Sam's waiting mouth.

Everyone at the table freezes, including me. Seth has called me Mama Bella a couple times, but he's never just called me Mama. My heart races and I have to flutter my eyes to keep the wetness from spilling forth.

I swallow it all back before speaking. "I see." I clear my throat. "But I think he's had enough tonight. You two eat so you can have ice cream."

Both faces turn to me with wide eyes. "Ice cream?" Seth asks.

I nod. "Yep, as soon as your plates are cleaned."

They dig in, Sam forgotten for the moment. Slowly, everyone else goes back to their food, too, after having watched the exchange. My eyes can't help but seek out Edward's. His smile is broad and a matching one forms on my own lips.

He winks.

I roll my eyes and get back to my own food.

Once everyone is finished and we've seen them out, I hurdle the boys up to the bath and let them play with their toys. When that's done, I send them to their room and let them know that Edward will be in shortly to read, then I head downstairs to locate him.

He's just finishing up the dishes. "The boys are waiting for you," I announce.

He smiles. "For a day that started off rocky, I say we did all right."

I nod. "I think so. Your parents were pretty accepting after we explained."

He shakes his head. "Yeah, I got a text from Jay as soon as he landed, letting me know that my parents were coming over with them. Only, they'd already showed here. He was upset when he found out." He frowns a little, then takes a deep breath. "But after the shock wore off, I think they reacted all right." He chuckles. "About as well as Commissioner Swan."

I smack him on the stomach. "Ha, and you have to face him again Sunday."

He grabs my hand and holds it in place, his eyes burning into me. He guides it along the muscles of his stomach, tensing under my fingers. The feeling of his flesh and his mesmerizing eyes light the embers that have lain dormant since our night together.

He leans closer, his muscles flexing under my palm. "Can I kiss you, Bella?"

I want it, I want it so bad, but this isn't the moment to share a kiss. Kisses lead to something more and with the boys awake the counter has no chance.

I lean forward and move toward his mouth. When we're centimeters apart, I redirect my lips and they land on his cheek with a soft kiss. His muscles uncoil beneath my fingers as he accepts my decision.

I step back. "I'm sorry," I say, afraid to meet his eyes.

He grasps my chin and directs my gaze to his. "Never apologize. I asked a question and you gave me an answer. Not the one I was hoping for, but an answer nonetheless."

"I'm just remembering the ground rules. Kisses only build passion and right now it's not possible to quench," I try to explain.

"I get it." He smiles a crooked grin and winks. "Later."

"Promises, promises," I tease.

"You're killing me, Bella," he says dramatically.

I laugh and grab his arm. "Come on, the boys are waiting."

We make our way through the living room and up the stairs. When we reach the top, Edward backs me into the wall. His body presses close and mine automatically craves its presence.

"I need you tonight, Bella," he growls. "Please let me fuck you."

His pleas ignite flames that I can't and don't want to smother. I reach up and bury my hands in his hair, yanking his lips to mine. The kiss is filled with passion and fire, a spark that will ignite.

As suddenly as it began, I push him away and tilt my head motioning to Jake's door. "Go, read to the boys, and when you're done, I'll be in my room."

He breathes deeply several times, gaining control before he speaks. "I never thought I'd say this, but trying to make a baby with you is my new favorite pastime." With one more, hard kiss to my lips, he smirks and walks away.

* * *

 **Ahh, a barbeque with both families, sounds fun ;)**

 **See you Monday in PIF for a teaser.**

 **See you Wednesday with chapter 18!**


	18. Danger: Falling Rock Zone

**Fran always makes these chapters prettier and JudyBlue, Lissa, Michele and Vampiregirl93 leave me awesome comments. P.S. Fran changed barbecue, but I changed it back to barbeque cause that's what it is 'round here ;)**

* * *

 **Today is day 9, including the day Edward and Bella met**

 **EPOV**

"Fuck, yes, baby. Ride my cock. That's it, Bella." I grip her hips roughly and pivot her back and forth, thrusting up to bury my cock further and further.

Her hands go to her tits and she starts tweaking and plucking, moaning and panting. The sight of it is enough to drive my desire to new heights. I raise up and remove her hands, replacing them with my lips. I suck and squeeze and thrust. Her hands grip my hair and her mouth attaches to my neck, biting and nipping.

She writhes over me, matching my thrusts with swivels of her own. "Edward, I ca … I can't hold out."

"Let go, baby, just let it go," I whisper in her ear.

Her head falls back and her hands grip my shoulders. I thrust harder and faster, deeper and longer. "Fuck, baby, fuck you feel so good, so good," I croon.

"Edward … Edward," Bella says, and it sounds far away.

"Mmm, baby, come on … "

"Edward!" Her voice is sharper and is accompanied by a hard shake to my shoulder.

My eyes snap open and I'm in the guest room with Bella standing over me, arms crossed and the smirkiest-smirk I've ever seen her wear.

I grip the sheets between my fists. "Fuck!"

"Having a nightmare there, Edward?" she asks, attempting to sound innocent, but she knows, she so knows.

I do the only thing I can. I grab her, to drag her body down and position it over mine. "Does that feel like it was a nightmare, Bella?" I ask huskily.

Her eyes roll back and she grinds down only once before meeting my eyes again. "A fantasy then?" She gives me a cheeky grin.

I press into her again. "A memory, a _very vivid_ memory from last night."

She leans down and pecks my lips. "I like vivid memories, too, but there's no time this morning. Both our families are due to arrive in just hours." She smiles and crawls up and off the bed.

I pout. "Did you have to bring our families up at a time like this?" I cup my hard cock, showing her what I mean.

She laughs. "You better go take care of that. You've got work to do in the kitchen."

"I'd much rather you help me take care of it." I wink.

She brings her hand over, ghosting her fingers where I crave her. "Let's survive today and we'll see what we can do about that." Then she turns, headed toward the door. When she gets to the jamb, she leans against it and faces me once more. "I'll get the boys' breakfast since you have _other_ things to take care of." With a smile, she's off and out the door.

Goddammit! I push down on my cock once more before climbing from the bed. This fucking woman has me spinning in circles, never knowing which way I'm pointed. And sex dreams? What the fuck? If she hadn't interrupted, I might've blown my load right there in my sleep.

Again, what the fuck?

I'm not a horny teenage boy, I'm a man. A grown-ass fucking man at that. I have to get ahold of this situation, if for no other reason than my own sanity. Maybe I need to retreat, draw back enough so that it doesn't affect me so much.

With those thoughts in mind, I grab my clothes and make my way to the shower, determined to wash away the images in my head. But I can't, they only intensify, so I do the only thing I can.

I jump in the shower, grab my cock and close my eyes, bringing them to the forefront of my mind.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

I enter the kitchen to the boys sitting at the bar with bowls of cereal in front of them. As soon as they hear me, they turn. "Morning, Daddy," Seth calls out.

"Morning, Daddy Edward," Jake follows right behind.

I smile and walk over to them, giving each a kiss to their heads. "Morning, dudes." I peek over in their bowls. "What the heck has your mama got you eating in here?" It's a puddle of mushy, milk-soaked, colored clumps floating around.

Disgusting.

"That's Fruity Pebbles and I love them," Jake answers and takes another bite.

"Yeah, Daddy, they good," Seth seconds.

I curl up my nose. "Better than pancakes?" I ask them.

"No, not better than pancakes, but Mama said you was busy and she feed us this," Seth pipes up, pointing to the bowl.

I lift a brow. "Did she now?"

"Uh, huh, she said you had something to take care of first," Jake spouts, spooning another bite into his mouth.

"Boys, you almost finished?" Speak of the devil herself. Bella walks into the kitchen with Sam hot on her heals.

"How can you feed them this crap, Bella? I would've cooked them something," I insist.

She smirks. "You were busy, Edward, and they were hungry."

I roll my eyes. "I know they told me all about it."

"Oh, well, um … " At least she has the decency to look chagrined.

I smirk. "It's okay, Bella. All taken care of."

Her cheeks darken and she looks away. I want to go to her so bad and take her in my arms, but I can't. It kills me not to, but this is the way she wants things and I'll honor that … for now.

"Okay, boys, time to get a bath and leave your daddy to the kitchen," she tells them, still avoiding my eyes.

I have to wonder what has her so gun shy right now. Did my words bring images to her mind? Images of me in the shower fantasizing about her with my cock in hand?

I hope the fuck so.

She collects the boys and they head out while I get to work preparing the food for our cookout.

 _Our cookout._

I don't know where my life ends and hers begins anymore.

 _Our life._

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

Bella opens the front door to my brother's smiling family. She directs the boys straight to the backyard, and after a kiss on the cheek from Jay and a hug from Vic they make their way inside. Jay heads straight for me while the women take a seat on the sofa. Alice and Jasper are already here, out in the yard with the boys.

"What's up, bro," he says, taking a seat at the bar. "You know I'm sorry about yesterday's shitstorm with Mom and Dad. I never thought they'd rush over here to confront you."

"Just getting this food ready, and yeah, I do know you'd never purposefully throw me under the bus like that. Speaking of, where are Mom and Dad?" I ask.

He rolls his eyes. "You know Mom, she had to stop off and buy the boys a gift."

"I hope she's planning on bringing all of them one then," I tell him.

I know Mom and she can go overboard, but I won't have her giving gifts to Jake and Seth and leaving Jared and Joseph out. It's not like she'd do it on purpose because she buys them stuff all the time, but her excitement over having a new one might cloud her mind.

Jay waves his hand. "Aw, it'll be fine, Edward. She buys them stuff all the time."

Yeah, I think not. I grab my phone and shoot her a text to remind her that she has four grandsons at this party. Her response makes me chuckle.

"What's got you laughing? Texting your woman even though she's sitting where you can see her?" Jay asks.

I shake my head. "Hell, no. I was texting Mom and trust me, she didn't forget about your boys. You'll probably have to ship the shit back. Sounds like she's on a spree."

"You know there's no stopping her." He shrugs. "Oh well, but I see you didn't deny it."

My brows furrow. "Deny what?"

He tilts his head toward the living room. "That she's your girl."

I scrub my hand over my face. "Man, don't even go there. It's a complicated situation with a complicated answer." I lean over the bar closer to him. "But no, she's not my girl."

"You want her to be," he states it as fact.

I prop my elbows on the bar and look down to the granite. "Fuck, man, I have no idea what I want or where I am half the time." I meet his eyes. "But it's in a good way … I think."

He pats my shoulder. "I get it. I felt like that once before."

"Oh yeah?" I lift my brows.

He leans closer like he's telling me something he wants no one else to hear. "Yeah, when I met Vic." He sits back and the smirk he's sporting can only be described as devious as fuck.

"Fuck you, man, fuck you." I go back to preparing the food to take out to the grill.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

The barbeque is in full swing and everyone is here. We have a yard full of people. From Bella's parents to Alice and Jasper, to Carlisle and Esme Cullen. Add to that my family and we've got ourselves a party.

I'm manning the grill while everyone else socializes with each other. I've had a few stop by and tell me hello, like Alice and Renee, but so far I've had no contact at all with Charlie Swan. Until this very second that is.

He approaches, beer in hand. "Masen." He nods. "How's everything working out for you over here on the grill? Sure you don't need help from an old pro?"

I chuckle. "Nah, I think I've got the hang of it, Charlie. But thanks for asking. If it gets too difficult I'll be sure to holler at you, though."

He shakes his head up and down and takes a swallow of his beer. "Quite a mix we've got here, huh? All of Bella's closest and your family, too." He pats my shoulder and leans in, gaining my attention. "Is there something I need to know?"

"I guess that depends on what you know already." I stare straight at him.

Fuck the meat.

"Do you realize that I'm as committed to my sons as Bella is? Do you know that she's asked me and Seth to stay here and we've accepted?" I lean closer. "Do you know there isn't anybody that can run me away?"

He studies me long and hard, and finally nods. "Yeah, I think I know all of that. The question is, is there anything else I need to be aware of?"

As far as I can tell, no one in Bella's family is aware our plans, but I can't help to feel he's digging. Digging deep, hoping I'll tell him something he suspects. Well, fuck that. This is Bella's family and it'll be Bella's choice when or if she tells them at all.

"No, I think that about sums it up," I state clearly with a little defiance in my tone.

His shoulders slump a tad. "I guess I owe you an apology."

"I'm not sure you do, Charlie. What you did was what any father might do, it's the way you did it that pissed me off. You should've just been straight forward, told me who you were and why you wanted it."

"I know." He sighs. "And that's why I'm going to apologize. I'm sorry, Edward, but I'll do anything to protect my family."

"My sons are part of your family, so I appreciate that protection … and you can have my information if it makes you feel better," I offer.

He pats my shoulder again. "Good. I'll get it another day, though." He tilts his head at the grill. "Don't let our dinner burn. If you need me just holler." He walks off chuckling.

It isn't much later when Bella and Carlisle approach where I'm tending to the last of the meat. I smile at the sight of them happy, arm in arm.

"How goes it over here in grill land?" Bella asks as she gets closer.

I look over my meat and decide all looks good. "Going great, although, your dad told me to call him if I needed a pro's help."

She giggles and rolls her eyes. "He did, did he?" She holds out a beer she just opened.

I grab it and take a drink. "Thanks, and yeah he did."

She just shakes her head. "Edward, you've met Carlisle, right?"

My eyes meet his and he has a sly grin on his face, looking between Bella and me. "Yeah, I met him for a second at the hospital." I hold out my hand.

He shakes it. "Good to see you again. I was hoping to catch you before Jake checked out of the hospital."

"Oh yeah, what for?" I ask.

"I wanted to make sure you knew the results of your tests," he answers.

Bella speaks up. "Yeah, Alec gave us the news right before we left. At least Edward's blood was a match and that'll help with the transfusions."

"Yeah, Dad and Jay matched, too. They went ahead and donated while they were at the hospital yesterday," I tell them, since I'd forgotten to let Bella know.

Carlisle's brows furrow. "That's good, but I thought you'd be happy, that as a last ditch effort, we could try with Edward's marrow."

My jaw clenches. "What do you mean?"

Carlisle's wide eyes meet mine. "Did Alec not tell you that you are a fifty percent match to Jake? It's the case with all parents, it's called a haploidentical transplant. In this case, we run the risk of more complications, but it's a better option than nothing if we can't find a match at all. Strangely enough, your brother had the same results."

My muscles tense and every sound in the yard fades away. I can only hear one thing screaming in my head. "I'm going to fucking kill him," I finally voice aloud.

Somehow, I know Bella's taking to me in hushed tones, but I can't make out the words.

I only see red.

A brilliant, fiery red is burning in my eyes.

Her hand clasps my arm and I shake it loose. I'm acting insane, but at this moment, I don't have control of my senses.

"I'm going to murder that filthy lying son-of-a-bitch." I slam the beer I'm holding to the ground and stomp off into the back door.

 _I need to get a grip._

It doesn't take but a minute before Bella is entering the kitchen. She corners me and places each of her hands on my cheeks. "Edward, look at me," she says softly.

The sound of her voice and the feel of her hands allow the red to ebb slightly, to just retreat to the periphery, as I focus on her calming eyes and serene voice. "Please, listen to me. I know you're angry, hell I'm furious, but this isn't the way to handle it. Our families are out there, our _sons_ are out there and they're expecting dinner."

Our sons.

I grab onto that thought and hold it like a lifeline, allowing it to soothe me; as the red fades completely from my vision I slump in my spot. "I'm sorry, Bella."

She pulls my face closer to hers. " _You_ have nothing to be sorry for. That piece of shit, Alec, did this, but now we know, we know the truth. And while I don't want to risk complications for Jake, at least we have another option _if_ it becomes necessary."

I cover her hands with my own. "Thank you, Bella, for always knowing just what to say to make things better. I … I lost it out there. Did anyone notice?"

She turns her hands over and grasps mine, bringing them down between us. "Well, I had to get Dad to come cover the grill for you"―she chuckles―"but I think everyone else missed your little meltdown."

I shake my head and squeeze her hands, bringing them up to my lips and planting small kisses all over them. "You always have my back and I can't thank you enough."

"Hey," she says, gaining my attention once more. "We're a team, remember that."

Just then the door opens and Carlisle pokes his head in. "Is it all right if I come in? There's something else I was going to tell the two of you."

 _I tense again._

He waves his hand. "Nothing too bad, I promise, but I spoke with Rose Friday."

"Does she have a lead?" I ask, assuming it's about our case.

He shakes his head. "No, sorry, but she is going to make a statement to the press in the morning. She's not going to mention names, but the hospital can't hide a situation like this. I just wanted you to be aware. Reporters are nasty and they will start to dig and they'll keep digging until they find you."

I rake my hand through my hair and sigh. "Okay, I guess we'll need to keep an eye out then?" I look to Bella.

She gives me a small nod. "Whatever happens, we'll face it together."

"Together," I agree.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

The whole family is gathered around one long picnic table with food laid out all the way down. I'm beside Bella and we each have a boy on either side with our family all around. Besides that little bomb earlier, the day's been pretty damn great.

"These sure are some good baked beans, Bella," Charlie speaks up.

"Oh well, you'll have to thank Edward for that. He made everything, he's a chef, Daddy," she says sweetly.

Charlie's eyes widen and turn to me. "You're a chef?"

I smirk. "Sure am."

His eyes narrow and he goes back to his food without another word.

Carlisle speaks up then. "So, Vic, how much longer until your baby's due?"

She rubs her stomach and looks to him. "She'll be here in ten weeks."

Out of nowhere, Seth speaks up. "Daddy and Mama's gonna make a baby. He said it's his favorite pastime."

Bella's fork drops to her plate with a loud clink and my eyes get huge.

"Are they now," Charlie grits out, his own fork clenched tightly in his hands.

Seth nods and it's like a trainwreck that I can't stop. "Yep, he said he gonna fudge her."

Jake opens his mouth then. "No, he didn't. He said he need to fuc―"

Bella's hand slaps over his mouth before he can finish the word. However, it's too late; every eye at the table is on us.

Varying expressions line their faces, from smirks to sarcasm to shock.

Except for Charlie Swan.

He's fucking livid.

* * *

 **Oops!**

 **See you Monday!**


	19. Potholes

**Fran is the beta extraordinaire and JudyBlue, Lissa, Michele and Vampiregirl93 are way ahead of you ;)**

 **You guys are incredible, outstanding, stupendously amazing. You blew me away last chapter … Thank you so much!**

* * *

 **Still day 9**

 **BPOV**

I sit there with my hand covering Jake's mouth in a state of shock.

What in the hell just happened?

Our two adorable sons just outed us in front of both of our families, that's what. Not one for being embarrassed has flown out the window. My face is hot and I'm breaking out into a sweat.

No one says a word as they all stare between Edward and me. Some faces, like Jay, Vic, Alice and Beth, hold amusement in their eyes while the others just hold shock. However, the two that are going to be the most trouble are our dads; who each look as if they might explode at any minute.

Finally, Vic breaks the silence. "Jared, how about we go check out Jake's room? You haven't seen it yet."

"It's my room, too," Seth adds.

Jake tries mumbling behind my hand, so I slowly remove it, keeping it at the ready, just in case. "Yep, I shares my room wif Seth now."

I sag in relief that he jumped right into that conversation, hoping the last is well forgotten. I simply cannot believe that I'm in this position. I don't even know if I was going to tell my family until I had to, and now I have no choice. My dad is chomping at the bit to open his mouth, but he won't, for now anyway, not until all little ears have left the table.

Vic stands and holds out her hand. "Well come on, boys, take us to check out that cool room."

Esme also stands. "I'll join you." She smiles and gets up from the table.

I don't know whether to be grateful or scared that she's removing the little traitors from the situation. I settle on grateful, it has to be done now that the cat is out of the bag.

Vic helps little Joseph down from his seat and waits patiently for Jake and Seth join them. Jared is already standing at her side. Her eyes meet mine and I give her a small nod of thanks, even though I'm not thankful to be in this situation.

As we watch their retreating backs walk toward the door, Edward takes my hand under the table, giving it a squeeze. I meet his eyes and take a deep breath. With a firm nod, he tenses, then faces the table ready to take on whatever obstacles we're about to face.

When the door is firmly shut behind the kids, my dad's fist slams on the table. "What in the hell did I just hear!"

I clear my throat ready to defend my actions, only I don't get the chance before Edward's father is interrupting. "I'd like to hear an answer to that also, Edward. It seems you forgot to mention that part when you gave us the story just a couple of days ago." His features are hard, cold.

"Well, frankly, Dad, it was none of your business what Bella and I have decided to do or not do," Edward states firmly, his muscles tense.

"The hell it isn't," my dad answers before Ed can reply.

Edward turns his eyes my dad then, and it's clear this isn't about to go well. "Charlie, while I understand your concern, it's obvious Bella and I had no plans to share this with you until we felt we needed to. It's our decision and we'll go forward how we see fit, with or without your permission"―he cuts his eyes to his father―"either of you."

Ed stands from the table, fists clenched. "Isn't it obvious, son? This woman is trying to trap you, just like the last one did."

My dad lurches from his chair. "What do you mean trap him? That's my daughter you're referring to, so you'd better tread carefully," he yells as he pokes him in the chest.

Mom jumps up, stepping between the two men, pushing my dad back. "Charlie, calm down. We're all just shocked and need some time to adjust to this information. Let's sit down and let them explain."

"Renee, thank you for trying to diffuse the situation, but there's nothing to explain. Bella and I are doing what we think is best and we won't be swayed," Edward tells her honestly and I still have yet to speak a word.

"Is this an attempt to provide a sibling for Jake?" Carlisle asks softly.

I squeeze Edward's hand tighter. "Yes, Carlisle, is there something wrong with that?" I question.

He shakes his head. "No, Bella, a sibling is always the best opportunity, but you do realize that a half-sibling is a much lower chance of a match, don't you?" His kind, caring eyes are on me, they're making sure I understand what I'm getting myself into.

"Well, if that's the case, then why doesn't Edward go make a baby with Jake's biological mother, instead of defiling my daughter under half pretenses?" my dad asks sarcastically, arms folded over his chest.

"Over my dead body," Edward's father exclaims.

"Carlisle, wouldn't that be the best chance possible for Jake to find a match? Another child by his same parents?" my dad presses the subject further.

Edward's already tense body stiffens like steel. If I don't curb this line of questioning, he might explode, sending shards scattering throughout us all. "Daddy, please stop," I say firmly.

"No, Bella, it's all right. I don't mind answering his questions," Carlisle speaks up thinking it's him that I'm trying to save. "Actually, Charlie, you are correct. A same parent sibling is the best possible chance for a match."

Jay, who's been sitting there smirking at Edward through this whole exchange finally chimes in. "I think my brother knows exactly what he's doing and there's no way in hell Maria is getting dragged into this situation."

"At least someone's talking sense," Edward's father seconds.

But, oh no, my father just won't let it go. "How is that not making sense when it's clearly the best solution all around?"

"Daddy, please," I implore him one more time.

"What, Bella? You expect me to just sit here and agree to this nonsense because Edward had his feelings hurt by his ex? You know me better than that," Dad counters.

"Charlie," my mom chastises.

"Oh come on, it's not like it's a hardship for Bella!" Alice weighs in and my dad cuts his eyes at her.

"Not right now, Alice," Jasper chides.

"There's no way my son is contacting that woman and that's final!" Ed slaps his hand on the table.

"Oh, Ed, there's no chance that's happening. His intentions are clear just from his actions," Beth chimes in, smirking my way.

"You got that right," Jay tacks on with a chuckle.

"Enough!" Edward jumps to his feet, dragging me to stand beside him. "Dad, that's not your decision, but you're right, I won't be contacting her. As for the rest of it"―his eyes rove over everyone seated at the table―"Bella and I have made the decision and we hope that you can live with it. If not, then we're sorry, but we're willing to do whatever it takes."

The table is silent as everyone considers Edward's words. Even my dad is staying quiet this time so I decide to add my own two cents. "You're all family and we love you dearly, but Edward's right, this is our decision and we're doing what we think is best for our family. It may not be conventional, but that's what Edward, Seth, Jake, and me are … a family. So please, accept our decision and if you have objections, keep them to yourselves. We're not interested in hearing them." I allow my eyes to land on my dad.

His face isn't as red as it was in the beginning and the resolve has settled in. "Okay, Bella, Edward, I'm willing to accept your decision on one condition."

I'm almost afraid to ask. "What's that?"

He leans on the table making eye contact with both Edward and me. "My grandsons better not ever share something like that again. Do what you're going to do, but you damn well better make sure little ears and eyes aren't prying."

My face heats up again, but it's Edward that answers, "Yes, sir, that was a mistake and it won't happen again, I assure you. We had no idea they were listening."

He leans back in his seat and picks up his fork. "Good, now let's get back to dinner."

Edward and I retake our seats with a sigh of relief. His small smile and wink are enough for me to release the tension that had built during the confrontation that was never supposed to happen.

Soon after, when I've eaten as much as I'm going to, I excuse myself and make my way upstairs to join the boys. On the way, I ponder our family's reaction. I guess I subconsciously knew they'd have objections, hence why I hadn't already told them, but this is also something I'm not willing to compromise on.

This is mine and Edward's decision, and ours alone.

When I enter the bedroom, Esme is reading to all of the boys as they're spread across the floor with blankets. Jake has already fallen asleep and the other boys aren't far behind. I quietly go over and slide on Jake's bed beside Vic, giving her a slight smile.

By the time Esme gets to the end of the book, all four boys are sleeping peacefully. I motion to her and Vic and we get up and leave the room. I lead them down to the living room where we all have a seat.

"Thank you, Esme, and you, too, Vic. That was an um … unexpected situation and I appreciate you clearing the boys out," I tell them both sincerely.

"Oh, sweetie, it was no problem. I'm just glad we could help. Did everything go all right?" Esme asks, rubbing my arm in support.

I sigh. "I guess so, and it's out in the open now, which I don't know if I'm happy about or not." I chuckle in that not so funny way.

Vic laughs and hers is more genuine. "Better now than when you're six months pregnant and still hiding it."

"Oh, dear, that would've been a mess," Esme says. "Even the boys know now, although I'm sure that wasn't how you intended them to find out."

"Honestly, I hadn't thought that far ahead. They're just so accepting of everything and I'm scared to confuse them. I don't want them thinking we're going to be a family like _that_ ," I try to explain.

Esme's brow lifts. "But aren't you? I may not know much, but I know that the boys know you're their parents, they know they're brothers and they know you're trying to make a baby. And on top of that, you all live here together in one house. You're definitely a family, Bella."

I look down to my lap. "I know we are, but not a complete, happily-ever-after family. That's what I mean. I don't want to confuse them."

Vic lifts my chin and turns me to face her. "How do you know you can't be that? Everything seems to be working well so far. You never know where this … arrangement might go."

I shake my head. "I can't let it go there, Vic. There's too much to lose if it were to go south."

She chuckles. "Oh, Bella, are you a _cup half empty_ kinda girl? Think of the possibilities if it were to work out."

"But, Vic, think of what it would mean if it didn't. Right now our boys are happy because we can get along. If we tried and failed, we'd lose that very thing. It would tear what we're trying to build to shreds. Keeping the feelings platonic, keeps us as friends, and that's what our boys need from us," I tell her sincerely.

A frown forms on her face. "I know Edward and I can see the chemistry between you two. It's as plain as the nose on my face. If he's willing to try can't you at least consider it?"

"I … I can't. We have too much to lose. Failed relationships only bring anger and hurt," I say, hoping they can understand my position. Jake, Seth and their futures are my priority and I can't do anything to jeopardize that, even if it includes trying to make something real with their sexy, dirty-talking dad.

Esme reaches over and grabs my hands, holding them between her own. "Take it from a woman that knows, sometimes there's no stopping the inevitable."

I sputter. "Inevitable? No, I don't think so, Esme." I withdraw my hands and stand, ready to be done with this conversation. "Come on, ladies, let's go rejoin the party. You didn't even get to finish eating."

The give each other a look that says they clearly think I'm crazy, but stand to follow me out to the back yard. When I walk out the door, Edward immediately looks up from his conversation with Jay. A breathtaking smile forms on his face and I can't help but match it with my own.

"Yeah, sure, so not the inevitable," Vic mumbles as she passes me on the way to join her husband.

Esme just chuckles and pats my arm, headed for Carlisle. I stand there second-guessing myself. Originally I was anxious to get back to Edward and make sure he was okay after our dinner conversation. However, I don't want to mislead anyone, including myself, so I make my way over to begin cleaning up the tables.

After getting the first bag full, I tie it up and take it around the side of the house to the trashcan. When I turn from depositing it, I stop short and gasp.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Ed says.

"Oh, no, you're fine. I just didn't realize anyone had followed me," I assure him.

"How much?" He asks.

I tilt my head. "Excuse me? How much what?"

His eyes harden. "Don't play stupid with me. How much will it take for you to drop this silly little plan of yours?"

Oh, so this is what he wants. Well, I have news for him. He's trying to bribe the wrong woman. I cross my arms over my chest. "Silly little plan you say? This silly little plan could be what very well saves your grandson's life."

"Sounds as if it's only teaching them the birds and the bees to me, and way too early I might add," he snips back.

That brings me up short, but only for a second. Edward and I may have made a mistake by not being sure where they were during our … interaction, but it's one that won't be repeated. That was a well-learned lesson and one that won't be soon forgotten.

I sneer. "It's a good thing that they're _our_ boys then, because frankly it's none of _your_ business what we teach them." I'm being ridiculous even pretending it was okay for them to overhear us, but this man has no place questioning me.

He chuckles and it's a dark one. I've heard it before from a different man. "You are a spitfire, aren't you? No wonder my son's so enthralled."

I roll my eyes. "Edward is not _enthralled_. He's a sensible man who knows what needs to be done … for Jacob."

"Look, Bella," he starts, "it's a half-cocked plan at most. The likelihood that you and Edward can form a match for Jacob is hardly better than a stranger. I think you're both kidding yourselves. Now, I'll ask again, how much?"

"How fucking much what?" Edward demands standing behind his dad, arms crossed, body stiff.

Ed's eyes widen and he turns to Edward. "Son, this is a private conversation between Bella and me, so if you could kindly remove yourself, it'd be greatly appreciated."

Edward steps closer, right up into Ed's face. "There will be no private conversation with Bella, you got that? Anything you say to her you say to me. Now, I'll ask one more time. How much what?"

I ease my way between them and try to diffuse the situation. "Edward," I say putting my hands on his chest, pushing him back a little. "It's okay, we were just chatting; no big deal."

His laser beam eyes leave his father and focus on me, softening just a touch. "Bella, don't stick up for him. I know he's up to something, cornering you around here."

I shake my head. "It was nothing; nothing at all. He's just concerned with our decisions."

His eyes focus back on his father. "We made it clear that if you have objections, don't speak them. We're serious about this, Dad, and if you can't accept that, then maybe you don't need to be here."

Ed's shoulders slump just a little. "Son, I'm just trying to look out for you. I don't want you to find yourself trapped into another situation like you were before."

"Bella and Jake aren't a situation, Dad, they're my life, along with Seth. That won't be changing. I'm sorry if you see that as a bad thing, something that needs to be fixed. I assure you, it's not," Edward explains to his father. His expression is serious, but also softer.

I guess Edward can see where his father's coming from given his past complications with the mother of his child. Families are complicated structures; sometimes butting in where they don't belong. But they're worth every single struggle we go through because, in the end, they'll be there when you need them most.

Ed steps closer and I move back so he can approach his son. He places his hand on Edward's shoulder and gives it a firm squeeze. "I'm sorry, son," he tells him. "I was wrong to even approach her and even more wrong by trying to proposition her. I won't do―"

"What!" Edward snaps.

Ed swallows before answering his son. "I offered her money to put a stop to this insane plan you two have going. I messed up and promise to stay out of it from now on. I don't want to lose my son _and_ my grandsons over my stupidity."

Edward's hard eyes meet my own, causing me to look away. Mine are focused on the ground when I hear him speak. "If anything like this _ever_ happens again, that's exactly what will happen. I'll consider this a lapse in judgment, but it's the only one you'll get, mark my words, _Dad_."

"It won't, you have my word," Ed replies and with another pat on Edward's shoulder he walks away, back around the house where the others are oblivious to what just happened.

"Bella," Edward says softly.

I meet his eyes, afraid of what I might see. There's no anger there, only concern. And this is one of those times that I wish he'd show me the asshole I know he can be. I need to be reminded of that man, the one who can hurt you with his words, instead of this one who soothes me every time.

He steps closer. "Why didn't you tell me instead of taking up for him?"

"It's no big deal, Edward. I'm perfectly capable of handling things myself, with my family and yours." I look to the ground again. "Maybe they have a point; maybe we are making a mistake."

He steps even closer and lifts my chin so I have no choice but to look at him. "Do you really think that or are you afraid?"

"Pfft, afraid of what?" I try to act bravely as if I don't know.

"This … Us." He motions between our bodies.

I glance to the side for a second, before steeling myself and looking at him again, determination clear in my stance. "There is no _us_ , Edward. There's a mother and a father trying to do what's best for their children. That's all it is and all it can ever be."

I snatch my chin from his grasp and make my way back to where our families are gathered, without looking back to see his expression.

* * *

 **And so it begins …**

 **See you probs Friday instead of Saturday ;)**


	20. No Thru Traffic

**Grandma Fandom is my kickass beta and Vampiregirl93, Michele, Judy and Lissa read for me.**

 *****Due to the beating she received last chapter, Bella has called in sick today. No worries, she'll be back to torture you (read-Edward) more next chapter :))))))**

* * *

 **Day 11**

 **EPOV**

It's been a couple days since our barbeque, and while I enjoyed our time with family, I'm happy to say they've all gone the fuck back home. Too many people with too many opinions and I think they might've gotten to Bella.

Ever since her statement, things have been different. Not bad different, just different. We still get along just fine, but I've decided to step back to give her the space to think things through. Maybe I rushed her into a decision, I don't know, but until she's positive this is something she won't regret, I'm not willing to keep moving forward.

I'm having feelings that I simply can't ignore while it seems that's all she wants to do. Pretend there's nothing there, but there is, it's in every touch of our skin. So I've remained hands off. I still smile, laugh and chat with her, but I've left the touches and innuendo alone. If I can't stay as disconnected as her, I'll only end up hurt in the end.

Maybe the sperm donation was the best way to go about this. Having her has only made me crave her and for more than just sex. I want to hold her and learn everything there is to know about her. She makes me feel things, and I'm not even sure what they are, just that I want to keep on feeling them.

So now, I find myself headed to the hospital to bank my blood for Jake's next transfusion while Bella has taken the boys to Carlisle's office. Jake has to have his blood drawn weekly to monitor his condition. These tests will let us know when he'll need his next transfusion and this will be our routine until we find a match.

I park my rental and make my way to the outpatient department to sign in and let them know why I'm here. Thinking I should try to make amends, I decide to see if the girl who helped me last time is on shift today.

"Excuse me," I say to the woman behind the desk, as I'm signing in. "Does Jane work today?"

"Do you know her last name?" the woman asks.

"No, sorry, but I know she draws blood," I answer.

"Oh, that must be Jane Volturi." She nods, checking her computer. "She does happen to be on shift right now."

"Okay, great. Could you assign me to her? She did such a great job last time, I'd like to have her again." I give her my most charming smile.

"You may have to wait a bit longer if I assign you to a specific person, but if you're fine with that then I'll make sure you get your wish," she explains.

I tap my knuckles on the counter. "That'll work. Thanks." Then I go and take my seat, waiting to be called back.

I actually spend less time waiting than before, and Jane herself comes out to get me. "Hello, Mr. Masen, so nice to see you again. I was told that you requested me?" she says it as a question.

I stand and smile at her. "I did. You did an excellent job and I treated you poorly. I was hoping to show you I can be a much nicer patient."

"How thoughtful, Mr. Masen, and no problem. I get all types in here. Follow me," she says turning and leading me down a hallway.

This time I'm led to a different room, one that I suppose is set up for giving blood. "Go ahead and get comfortable. This will be different than last time." She motions to a reclining chair situated in the middle of the room.

I go over and take a seat, relaxing back at an incline and pulling my sleeve up to my shoulder. "Thank you for not turning me away. I know I was an asshole last time, and I just wanted to apologize again. That was a stressful time for me, but since then things have settled down a bit."

She stops what she's doing and turns to me. "No need, Mr. Masen, I understand, and I'm glad to know that your son has been able to go home."

My brows rise. "You know that?"

"Of course, word travels around this hospital, besides my brother is one of his doctors," she tells me.

I automatically stiffen.

Jake has two doctors and I'm sure Jane isn't Carlisle's sister. That only leaves one person. The fucking prick doctor himself. It never even crossed my mind when the woman behind the desk gave me Jane's last name.

Fucking Volturi, of course, it is.

Reminding myself that it isn't this girl's fault her brother's a fucking dickhead, I allow my muscles to relax as much as possible. "Oh, that's um, great." I try to act as lively as I was earlier.

"Okay, are you comfortable? This is a lot like last time as far as sticking you goes, but the needle will remain in place for a longer period of time," she explains as she takes the seat beside me.

"I'm ready," I reply.

She inserts the needle. "I need you to clench and unclench your fist a few times to get the blood pumping." I do as she asks. "Perfect, you're all set. We'll just let this bag fill and you'll be good to go." With a smile, she gets up and walks to the door. "I'll be back in a few," she throws over her shoulder before walking out.

Now that the fucking prick has entered my mind, I can't stop that train of thought. He delivered incorrect information in hopes of taking me down a peg and it worked. I wonder if he's on shift today. Maybe a little visit of my own is in order.

I lean my head back and close my eyes imagining his face when I let him know that I'm on to him. Being the pussy that he is, he'll probably piss his pants. But he had to know Carlisle would tell us, right? If Jake gets to a point that he desperately needs to do the transplant and a match hasn't been found, it'd obviously be mine that we'd use in an attempt to save his life.

 _Why did he think he could get away with lying?_

 _Or, was it just in the heat of jealousy?_

I don't know, but I intend to find out.

A few minutes later, Jane returns and checks me over. "Okay, looks like you'll be done in a couple minutes."

I smile at her. "Thanks, you did a great job, Jane."

Her response is to beam. "Thank you, Mr. Masen; I'll be at your service anytime."

After a couple minutes, she declares me all set and removes the needle from my arm. "All right, this will go with the other donations we've received for your son and will be available next time he needs it." She puts on a band-aid and then wraps a bandage around my arm. "Leave this on for about an hour and then it can be removed. You can take the band-aid off later tonight."

I touch her arm. "I really am sorry for my behavior last time I was here."

"You're fine, Mr. Masen, and I hope you're able to find a match for your son," she says. "Come on, I'll walk you out."

I stand and feel lightheaded for a second, so I remain still and allow it to pass. "I have some other business in the hospital today so I'll be fine, but thanks for the offer."

"You're welcome and I'll see you next time," she says walking out the door.

With her out of sight, I start making my way to the elevator.

Time to find out if Dr. Prick is here today and then a little visit to Rosalie Hale is on the agenda. She announced to the press the mistake the hospital made, and so far we haven't been discovered, but I'd like to know what she plans to do, if, in fact, we do get found.

I look in the directory and make my way up to the floor that holds fuckwit's office. I can only hope he'll be there, if not, I'll just have his lying ass paged.

When I get to his office, I hear giggling inside. Well, fuck that! I open the door and barge right in. Dr. Fuckwit has his hands up the scrub top of some nurse and freezes when he realizes someone just barged in.

His head jerks in my direction. "What the?"

I cross my arms and give him a hard stare. "You and I need to talk."

His floozy speaks up then. "Excuse me, but can't you see he's busy?"

I cut my eyes to her. "Excuse me, but can't you see I don't give a fuck? Now get lost." I tilt my head toward the door.

"No, I think you're the one who―"

"It's all right, Jessica," fuckwit interrupts. "We can continue this another time." The fucker winks at her like he has game or something.

I chuckle. "Yes, Sluttica, you can get back to your attempt at landing a doctor another time. Right now, he has a much more important meeting."

She huffs and rolls her eyes, before straightening her top and stomping out the door. With her gone, my eyes turn to slits and my jaw clenches.

The prick clears his throat. "So, what can I do for you today?" He sits behind his desk and motions for me to take a seat across from him.

I shake my head. "I think I'll just stand over here. If I get too close, I might inflict damage."

His brows furrow. "Damage?"

"Yeah, on you," I say harshly, rage burning through my bones.

"M … me?" he stutters, pointing to himself.

I inhale one huge gulp of air and hold it in my lungs, before finally releasing it and the tension in my shoulders at the same time.

"Look, I'm not going to pussyfoot around here. You, _Alan,_ are a fucking, lying, conniving pussy and if we weren't in this hospital right now, I'd beat the ever loving fuck out of your ass." I lean forward, making my point loud and clear. My arms are still crossed over my chest, holding them in check. If they were to get loose, I can't promise what the end result would be.

He pulls himself up a little and meets my stare. "I have no clue what you're talking about and if you insist on threatening me, I think I'm going to call security to have you removed." He picks up the receiver on his desk.

My blood pressure skyrockets.

"Go ahead, call them. I'm sure the chief of staff will be interested to know you _lied_ to me about being a match for Jake." Just saying the words makes me want to pummel him even more. I back up against the door, putting as much space between us as possible.

His hands freeze and his whole face pales, a bead of sweat forms on his brow.

I smirk. "That's what I thought, you fucking pussy. Now, why don't you explain to me exactly what you were thinking when you fed me that bullshit?"

"I … I―"

"Don't fucking bother!" I bellow. "I know exactly what you were trying to do. You were jealous. Jealous that Bella's accepted me into her life when you were hoping to land her. And you know what? I can get behind that, a little healthy competition." I chuckle darkly and walk over to brace my fists on his desk, leaning in just inches from his face. "But what I _can't_ fucking get behind, is the fact that you used my son's condition to try and take me down a peg. No fucking way, you pansy-ass piece of shit!"

He slumps in his seat and looks down. "You're right. You were acting so possessive of them and it made me mad. So I used the only thing I had at my disposal to take you down a notch."

"Look at me, you fuckwit." He meets my eyes, but that's not enough. I reach over and snatch him up by his collar, making sure we're eye to eye. "I was acting possessive because they _are_ fucking _mine_. _My_ son, _my_ family"―I lean even closer―" _my_ fucking Bella. You got that, pussy. They're _mine_ and you will never have them," I say, doing everything I can to keep myself in check.

He gulps and nods.

I drop him back in his seat and turn for the door, stopping to say one more thing. "I won't report this because my son needs you on his team, but if you ever pull a stunt like this again, I'll beat you within an inch of your pathetic, fucking existence." I turn and charge out the door, the slam echoing down the almost empty hallway.

A few feet away, I stop and slump against the wall. That encounter took a lot out of me. Holding myself back from pounding him into the ground, took more effort that I thought I was capable of producing. My point has been made, though, and with that thought, I build myself back up and start for Ms. Hale's office.

I arrive at the place where it all began. The same secretary looks at me when I enter and gives me the same smile. I roll my eyes and take a seat.

"Mr. Masen, nice to see you again, but I don't see an appointment for you," she says.

"I don't have one, but I'll wait. I'm sure Ms. Hale won't refuse me." I raise a brow, hoping she'll get my meaning. No way would she refuse to see one of the parents in a situation like mine.

"She's with someone now, but if you'd like to wait, I'm sure she can squeeze you in," she offers.

"I'm sure she can," I respond sarcastically and pick up a random magazine, effectively dismissing her.

After several minutes, the door to her office opens and the same guy from last time walks out. I get the feeling of de ja vu, except this time they are both all smiles, and when I look closer, I realize their hands are clasped. I remain still and quiet, hoping my presence won't be noticed.

The man leans in and places a peck on her cheek and she looks down, blushing. That's a surprise. I never thought I'd see the day Ms. Hale blushed over anything, but apparently, for this man she does. While this little scene might be endearing to some, I have my own business to attend, so I stand and clear my throat.

Her eyes snap in my direction and her jaw drops. Hmm, that's interesting. She looks as if she's been caught with her hand in the cookie jar. Let's see what this is all about.

I approach them with my hand outstretched. "Hello, my name is Edward Masen, and you are?" I ask the man.

His eyes also widen, and I can't wait to hear this. Something's definitely up with this situation.

He clears his throat and grasps my hand. "Hello, Mr. Masen, nice to meet you. I'm Detective McCarty."

Now it's my turn to widen my eyes. "What the fuck," I say withdrawing my hand.

"I understand your concern, sir, but I assure you I'm giving your case my full attention. I won't let you down," he professes.

"I can see that," I respond sarcastically, with a look to Ms. Hale.

"Edward, please, come in and have a seat. Emmett, could you join us?" Ms. Hale offers.

"This ought to be good," I say as I walk past her.

Both of them follow me in and while Ms. Hale takes a seat behind her desk, Detective McCarty stands to the side with his arms crossed. He's ready to defend whatever it is they have going on, and while I really don't give a fuck unless it affects my case, I still want an explanation.

I start. "Ms. Hale―"

"No, Edward, it's Rose. I thought we'd already established that," she interrupts.

"Okay, Rose. I stopped in today to ask what safeguards you plan to take in order to protect the identity of my family. But now, it seems I have other questions that need answering." I raise a brow and glance to Detective McCarty.

Rose nods. "I understand your concern, on both accounts actually. First, as for the press conference, I kept the details as vague as possible, but I need to warn you, the media will sniff you out eventually. They'll hunt you like a dog looking for his bone." She leans back in her seat looking for her next words, so I wait while she finds them. "I'd like to suggest that you and Bella agree to an interview with a reputable paper and ask for privacy after giving them as much information as you're willing to provide."

"But that would throw us right _in_ the line of fire," I stop her.

"Not necessarily," she responds and leans forward, propping her elbows on her desk. "Either way, they will find you. I can't stop that from happening. By taking preventative steps and pleading for privacy, you stand a better chance of keeping them at bay, or, at the very least, getting the hubbub over with. Maybe by speaking up first, you'll settle their curiosity and the fallout won't be as bad. That's my advice on this situation."

I think over what she's saying and realize there's some merit to her reasoning. "Okay, I'll discuss it with Bella and we'll decide how to handle it."

"And how is Bella?" She smirks.

"I'm more interested in how Detective McCarty is doing with the case. I'd like to hear if he has any leads on how my children were swapped before they were handed to their parents," I volley back at her.

She looks sheepishly at Detective McCarty and then back to me. "Edward, I assure you everything is being done to figure out how this situation occurred. All of the nurses have been interviewed, several times, and nothing in their stories vary. Emmett is vigilantly working to find any discrepancy he can, but there simply may not be one." She sighs. "I know you don't want to hear this, but this very well may have been just a mistake."

 _A mistake that's brought you everything_ , my conscience screams.

With that being my first thought, I realize that maybe it doesn't matter if it was a mistake. It might just be the best mistake ever made.

"How can I trust that Detective McCarty won't work for the hospital's benefit, seeing what I witnessed earlier?" I ask her. That's the one little thing bothering me with her explanation. Can I really trust that he's doing everything to make sure no one purposefully did this?

He clears his throat and speaks up. "Edward, I may have found someone who means something to me during this investigation, but I'd never change who I am for them. In addition, I _am_ an officer of the law and would never jeopardize that for anyone. It's who I am, not what I do."

The sincerity of his expression along with his firm stance make me believe what he's saying. I don't know if that's the right choice, but it's all I have. My gut feeling, and that's what I live my life by.

I give him a nod and turn back to Rose. "Is the hospital prepared to begin working out an agreement?"

Rose clears her throat. "I'm not sure if this is a conversation we should have without lawyers present, or even Bella."

"I understand, and honestly, Bella and I haven't talked much about what we want from you. But I think I can safely speak for both of us when I say that we would definitely expect all of Jake's medical expenses to be covered," I point out with a raised brow.

She thinks it over for a second before responding. "I think that is the very least this hospital owes you. Of course, it will need to be approved by the board and legally drawn up before it can be put in effect, but I'll get started on that immediately. I'll also make sure that Bella's insurance company is no longer being charged."

"Good," I agree. "Now, could you tell me how important Dr. Volturi is to Jake's care?"

Her brow furrows. "Is there a particular reason you're asking?"

I shake my head. "Nothing that hasn't been taken care of."

"Okay." She sits back and rocks her seat. "Well, to be honest, Dr. Volturi is the best hematologist in the state of Washington. We consider ourselves very lucky to have him and Jake is in exceptional hands under his care. Does that answer what you're looking for?

I huff like a petulant child. "I guess."

She studies me and then smirks. "Any other things you'd like to discuss, Edward?"

I stand. "No, I think that about covers it for today."

"Good. I'll be in touch to let you know when the hospital takes over Jake's medical bills." She stands and holds out her hand.

I grudgingly shake it and walk over to stand in front of Detective McCarty. "I expect to be kept up with any new developments, and, if for one second I suspect you're anything but truthful, I _will_ get Commissioner Swan involved."

He doesn't back down and holds my gaze. "Commissioner Swan is aware of Rose and my relationship, which is why I now have a partner on this case. But frankly, Mr. Masen, unless some other evidence comes forward, it's looking as if this will be ruled as a mistake."

"I just want to know who's responsible; mistake or not. Is that information you can give me at some point, _Emmett_?" I ask.

"I can't guarantee that, Mr. Masen," he responds. "If discovered for a fact, I will definitely include it in my report, though." He smirks, because obviously, if it's in his report, then Charlie Swan will have access.

It's at this moment I know I can trust this man to do his job.

* * *

 **Next update is Thursday.**

 **See you then!**


	21. Caution

**Grandma Fandom is my beta, and the best! Michele, Vampiregirl93, Lissa and Judyblue are my pre-readers.**

 **** Again, I reiterate, the whole concept 'Switched at Birth' is not something that is likely to happen** _ **at all**_ **in this day and age, but I hope you realize that already.**

* * *

 **Top section, day 13**

 **Last section, day 18**

 **EPOV**

As I lead Bella from the head office of The Seattle Times, I can't help but feel anxious. Sure, the interview went well and we're optimistic that the media will give us privacy now that they have the story, but it still opens us up to the possibility that they won't.

"Are you all right?" I ask. My hand is on her lower back guiding her to the car, I can almost feel her trembling beneath my fingers.

She glances at me before turning forward. "I think so." She stops and turns to me, placing her hand on my arm. "I'm scared, Edward. What if they come after us, hound us, camp outside our door. The boys won't understand and they'll be terrified. Did we make the right decision? Maybe we should just go bac―"

"Hey, hey, calm down," I soothe, placing my palms on her cheeks. "The boys are fine. They're very resilient and can handle a few reporters. Hell, they'd probably get a kick out of it. As for them camping outside, your dad will handle it. But if you want to change your mind, now is the time. When we leave here, there's no turning back."

She slumps a little and looks to the ground. "Are we ready for this, Edward? For the world to know?"

I chuckle lightly and pull her chin up so she's facing me again. "I highly doubt the _world_ will know," I say trying to make the situation lighter. "But, yes, we're ready. The sooner this happens, the sooner we can quit worrying."

She takes a deep breath and releases it. "Okay, you're right. We can do this."

I smile and push a curl behind her ear. "We can."

I grab her hand and we continue to the car. Even though we haven't been sexual since the barbeque, we're still two people with a bond. That hasn't changed. We'll always have our boys' interests in common and that makes us a team, whether or not the other parts of our relationship have been defined.

Well, in my opinion anyway.

Maybe for her they are.

Maybe we need to address it.

Maybe I'm afraid to hear her response.

It wasn't as though she didn't make herself clear that day because she did.

I just don't buy it.

"Where are we going?" she asks, breaking into my thoughts.

I shrug and glance at her. "To your parents' house to pick up the boys. Why?"

Her hand goes to my thigh, and my cock immediately perks up. "I was thinking we'd stop by the house first," she says seductively.

Even though I know I shouldn't without talking first, I take her back to our house and fuck her hard from behind. And even in this disconnected position, the whole time, my heart is yearning for her to take a chance and let me show her how good we can be.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

The following week while Bella goes to her office, I take the boys and we head to Carlisle's for Jake's bloodwork. This is a first for me, but one I'll willingly do. He's my son and I want the responsibilities that come with being a father to him.

When I approach the window, an elderly lady smiles at me. "Hello, sir. Can I help you?"

"Yeah, I have Jacob Swan here to see Dr. Cullen."

She peeks over the counter and notices the boys. "Oh, yes, of course. I'm Ms. Cope and you must be the father of these two, handsome boys."

I chuckle. "I am. Nice to meet you, I'm Edward Masen."

She blushes and types into her computer. "Nice to meet you, too. Have a seat, you're all signed in, and someone will be with you shortly."

I go have a seat while the boys run off to play with a toy that has different colored intertwining wires with beads that slide along them. I look around and notice there are only moms here with their children; I'm the only dad. But that's okay, I love my boys and it's as much my responsibility as it is Bella's.

After a few other kids have been called, the nurse finally calls Jake's name and leads us back to an exam room. "Just have a seat and Dr. Cullen will be with you shortly." With a smile, she closes the door behind her.

"Help me up, Daddy Edward," Jake says, holding up his arms for me to sit him on the exam table.

"Me, too," Seth follows, doing the same.

I lift them both and allow them to sit on the table while I take the chair beside them.

"Seth, you want to get some blood drawn, too?" I ask messing with him.

He shakes his head back and forth with gusto. "No way, Daddy. I don't want Jake to have to neither."

"It's okay, Seth. I a big boy. It only hurts this much." He holds his fingers out to show Seth.

"Really? I thought it hurted a whole lots."

Jake just shakes his head and points to himself. "Nope. I a big boy, that's all."

"I a big boy, too. Ain't I a big boy, Daddy?" Seth turns to me to settle this for them.

"You're both big boys. Daddy's big, smart boys." I smile and ruffle their hair.

The door opens, hopefully allowing that conversation to end right there. "Hey, Jake, Seth. How are you two doing today?" Carlisle asks them.

"We good. We big boys," Seth answers him while Jake just nods along.

Carlisle chuckles. "You sure are." He turns to me. "Hey, Edward. Good to see you again." He holds out his hand and I eagerly shake it.

"Good to see you, too, Carlisle. I hope it's okay I brought Jake today," I say, knowing it is, but trying to be polite. Carlisle's been pretty great so far.

"Of course. I'm actually glad you did. We'll talk when I'm done," he answers, then turns back toward the boys. "Okay, Jake. You ready to get your blood drawn?"

Jake nods and holds out his arm. Carlisle goes through the steps, talking to the boys the whole time, explaining exactly what he's doing. When he's done, he steps out and calls in his nurse.

"Heidi, could you take Jake and Seth to get a sucker? I need to speak with Mr. Masen for a moment," he instructs her, which leads me to think he has something important to discuss.

As soon as the door is shut behind the boys, I can't contain my questions. "Is everything okay? Is something wrong with Jake? Are his test results ba―"

"Hold up, Edward," he stops me. "Everything is as good as can be expected so far. Actually better since your story hit the papers. We've had a lot of people come in to be tested for a match, but there's something else I wanted to discuss with you. Something to do with a match."

I release the breath I was holding. "Good, okay then, go." I wave my hands for him to continue.

"I didn't want to say this at the barbeque because I think it should be a private family decision, besides there was enough turmoil going on that day."

"Okay," I say, not knowing exactly what it is, but hoping he'll tell me.

He reaches up and adjusts his glasses. "I wanted to talk to you about James and Victoria's baby."

"Um, what about it?" I ask, not seeing what this has to do with anything.

"Well, there's a high possibility that we could use the stem cells from the baby's cord blood to cure Jake." He says this matter of factly, as if he hadn't just thrown a huge ball of hope into what I thought was just a general conversation.

"What?" I'm stunned and need to hear further explanation.

"You see, Edward, umbilical cord stem cells are less mature than bone marrow stem cells so they're less likely to attack the patient's body. A greater degree of mismatch between donor and recipient cells is tolerable with cord blood stem cells compared to bone marrow cells," he says, making my dreams come true.

"So let me get this straight. You really think that Jake can be cured using stem cells from the umbilical cord of Vic's baby?" I ask, just to hear him confirm it one more time.

He nods. "I had the lab do some further testing on your family samples once I realized that Vic was pregnant. Remember me saying that James was a partial match, also?"

I do vaguely remember that, but it was at the same time I learned of Alec's deception so it hadn't even really registered. I nod to let him know that I do.

"Basically what I've uncovered is that James is your perfect match, which in turn makes his children automatically partial matches. It turns out that both Joseph and Jared are even more of a match than you and James. While I wouldn't suggest we go forward with a transplant from either of them, the cord blood presents us with a rare opportunity," he explains.

I rub my hand across my forehead, trying to take in everything he's saying. "So if the new baby matches as close as Joseph and Jared, we can use the cord blood stem cells for the transplant. And because they're less mature, they will be less likely to attack his body?" I say it, needing confirmation that I'm following what he means.

He smiles and places his hand on my shoulder. "Yes, Edward, I feel almost certain that this will be the best route for Jake, barring we find a one hundred percent match from a stranger. Of course, there's testing to be done to make it certain, but there's no reason to think this won't be a viable option."

"But why didn't you tell us sooner? We could already be celebrating the news. Bella's going to be so over the moon," I say, and as I do, I think of her.

I think of her begging me to help her save our son. I think of her that first night when she let me have her. I think of afterwards when she sent me away. I think of the many times since. I think of her words at the barbeque.

I think of the last time.

I just think of her.

And then I realize that it was the last time, because I can't do it anymore.

But even still, my chest inflates and it feels as if I can breathe again. My son is going to be cured. The weight of the moment hits me and I have to sit to bear it.

"Are you okay?" Carlisle asks.

"Ye … yeah, I'm fine. It just hit me. Really hit me, you know?" I ask him.

He smiles. "I do know. And I didn't mention it that day, Edward, because this is a very sensitive topic and a huge decision to be made in private between your two families. I wanted to talk to you first and let you broach the subject with them. That seemed the most appropriate action. Also, waiting gave me time to have further tests done on your family samples. Had you not came in today, I was prepared to contact you personally."

I give him a nod. "Thank you, Carlisle. I don't even know what to say."

"There's nothing to say. I love Jake and want him well as much as you do. Now, let me reiterate that this isn't one hundred percent confirmed, but at this point, I have confidence it will match. I need you to talk to James and Victoria, and if they're agreeable, we need to do a private cord blood donation. After it's collected, the appropriate tests will confirm the match," he cautions.

"But you're a doctor and you're confident, right? I don't want to get Bella's hopes up only to have them crash and burn." Mine either, but I'll leave it at that.

"Edward, as long as the stem cells from the cord are viable, I'm very confident that this is Jake's solution," he assures.

"Is there a chance that they won't be viable then?"

"It's always a possibility, but not often. Most healthy pregnancies produce viable cord blood." He reaches over and grips my knee. "This is the answer we've been waiting for."

His assurances build my confidence and I leave his office with my two boys by my side and an extra skip in my step. Except every so often when I falter, remembering I can't let myself have her anymore.

.

.

Later that night, when we're sitting down to a dinner of my homemade spaghetti and mini meatballs with garlic bread, Bella places her fork on her plate and clears her throat.

"I have something I wanted to talk to everyone about," she says making eye contact first with the boys and then me.

"What is it, Mama?" Jake shrugs.

"Yeah, talk," Seth adds.

"The floor's all yours." I motion for her to go ahead.

"Well," she starts, her hands fidgeting with her napkin. "I've decided that I'm going to go back to work Monday. At least for a few days a week, depending on how well you guys can get along without me."

My brows rise. Sure, we discussed it when Jake first came home, but she hasn't mentioned it since, so I assumed she wasn't ready. I guess going to the office today solidified it for her.

"I get to go back to Miss Esme's then?" Jake says like it's a given. Then his whole face goes wide. "What about Seth, though? He can go wif me?"

"Who's Miss Esme?" Seth asks.

Jake looks to him. "It's where my other friends are."

"You got more friends? Will they be my friends, too?" Seth points to himself.

"Yeah, they like you, too," Jake answers, nodding.

"Cool," Seth says and pops a meatball in his mouth.

I stay silent and allow Bella to lead this conversation. Of course they're not going to daycare, but I still hold my breath a little, waiting to hear the words come from her lips.

"Boys," she says, gaining their attention. "You won't be going to Miss Esme's, you'll be staying here with your dad." The smile that lights my face is sure to brighten the room.

When she notices, her brow furrows. I just give her a small shake of my head to let her know we can discuss it later.

"So we gonna be home while you work?" Jake asks. "What about my friends?" He pouts a little.

Bella sighs. "Sweetie, your friends aren't going anywhere. And one day you'll get to go back, but right now you're going to stay with your dad." She smiles. "Won't that be fun?"

Jake thinks it over for a second, then looks to me. "You gonna take us to the park and do fun stuff?"

"Oh yeah, I like the park," Seth adds, slurping on a noodle.

I chuckle. "Yeah, we can do fun stuff."

"My daddy always does fun stuff," Seth agrees, nodding.

"Okay, then," Jake declares. "We stay home wif Daddy Edward." And it's settled.

After dinner, Bella takes the boys and Sam to the backyard while I clean. This is our daily routine and next will be baths and bedtime. Usually we do that together and lately I've been retiring to the guest room right after, but tonight, we have things to discuss.

So after I've read to the boys, I head down to the kitchen. I stop and prop against the wall, allowing a minute to gather my thoughts for the conversation that is to come. With a deep breath, I go grab a bottle of wine and a couple of glasses, then make my way to the couch and wait for Bella to come down from her shower.

Hearing her footsteps on the stairs draws my eyes to watch her descend. I sigh just looking at her. Her fresh, clean skin, free of makeup, and her damp hair make her look so much younger and much more innocent than she really is.

She notices me watching her and looks away, but still makes her way over to occupy the other end of the couch, drawing her legs beneath her as she sits. I pour us both a glass of wine and pass hers over.

She smiles and takes it. "Thanks. So what's up? You've been retreating to your room by this time every night lately."

I take a sip of my wine and study her face. "Yeah, I suppose I have."

"Did you really think I wasn't going to leave Jake with you?" she asks quietly. "I saw the look on your face, you were worried about my answer."

I sigh. "Well, I'd hoped not, but I also didn't expect that kind of announcement without knowing ahead of time. I figured it'd be something we'd discuss before you decided."

She sits her glass on the end table behind her and faces me with her arms crossed. "I thought so, too, Edward, but frankly, you don't seem to want to talk unless it's when the boys are around. You hide away every night when they're in bed."

I scoff. "I wonder why?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" she demands as if she has no fucking clue.

I kill my glass and poor another. "Don't play stupid, Bella. It doesn't become you."

She gasps. "Who in the fuck do you think you're talking to that way?"

"Oh, I know exactly who I'm talking to. The mother of my sons who expects me to fuck her, but not feel anything else," I snap.

This isn't the way I wanted this conversation to go, but goddammit she knows what the fuck my problem is and burying her head in the sand only makes it worse.

"Don't you try to throw that off on me, Edward! Don't you dare!" she exclaims, then lowers her voice. "You know this was never supposed to be personal. Ground rule number two. Always remember the reason," she pleads with me to agree, and I just can't.

Not this time.

"Well, I'm sorry I'm such a pussy and actually started to care about the woman I'm fucking. The mother of my sons. I'm sorry for imposing on you like that," I say sarcastically, then regret it when her face falls. "Never mind, fuck! Forget I said anything."

I grip my hair and stand to pace. "Shit, shit, shit," I chant to myself realizing this is not the direction this talk should go.

I have news to share.

Exciting news and I'm only taking away from that by being selfish.

She stands and approaches me. "Edward, please, just please stop and look at me." She holds out her hands and places them on my chest. "Listen to me, Edward. Just listen for a minute. Okay?"

I stare into her eyes and can't refuse her anything, so I nod.

"I … I can't let this go anywhere, don't you see? If we let it go beyond the physical and fuck this up, we won't just hurt each other, but we'll hurt those two boys up there." Tears gather in her eyes. "I do feel it." She grabs my hand and places it on her heart. "Do you feel that? That's what you do to me when you're close. You make my heart race, but I can't risk our boys' happiness for that feeling."

I lean closer and cup her cheek with my other hand. "Why not, baby? What are you so afraid of?"

Her tears leak down her cheeks. "I'm afraid that we won't work and then all those promises of trust will fly out the window. I'm afraid of what that would do to our boys."

I shake my head. "We won't let it. It'll only increase our family bond, I promise. I'll show you, we can be so good together, Bella. All you have to do is want it."

"I can't, Edward. I can't risk it … even though I do want it. I can't risk our boys and the family bond we have now for a maybe," she pleads with me to understand and I have no choice but to honor her wishes.

I place a kiss on her forehead and step back, breaking all physical contact. "I wish I could show you, make you see, but I understand and respect your decision."

She wipes her tears away and nods. "Thank you, and I'm sorry."

"Don't be." I shake my head. "Come sit, I have news."

She looks skeptical. "What kind of news?"

"Exciting, exhilarating, fantastic news," I tell her, smiling at the prospect.

Her brows furrow. "I don't understand."

I take a deep breath and give her the words that will ignite her soul. "When I saw Carlisle today he gave me something to look forward to, to be happy about." I swallow hard and look away. "It seems that Jay and Vic's unborn child might be exactly what we need to cure Jake."

She grabs my face and turns me to look at her. "What do you mean, Edward?"

So I tell her the whole story.

And with every word, my heart is aching to celebrate the news on an intimate level.

A level I can't allow.

Because it will break me.

Our original agreement has been rendered obsolete.

* * *

 **They'll finish this conversation from BPOV next.**

 **And we have a potential match!**

 **Next update is Wednesday!**

* * *

 *****The match could be confirmed through amniocentesis, but I chose not to go that way as it is considered a risky procedure. I chose this route, and I'm not positive the tests Carlisle ran could give this level of indication, but we know that the baby will be a 50% match simply because Jay is the father and he is Edward's match. This is a** _ **fictional**_ **story, and in lieu of an invasive procedure, this is the path we're taking. The cord banking and tests after are on point, along with the lesser degree of match required when using cord blood stem cells.**


	22. Crossroads

**Fran works her magic and Vampiregirl93, Michele, Judyblue and Lissa give me great advice.**

* * *

 **Day 18 still for top portion**

 **Day 24 bottom portion**

 **BPOV**

As I sit and listen to Edward relay all the things Carlisle told him today, a feeling starts to bloom in my chest.

Hope.

It sounds as if our dream just may be coming true. And while it makes me ecstatic, it also gives me pause.

I can't allow myself to count on something that's just a possibility. I need it to be one hundred percent before I'm willing to accept it as fact. Until that match has been declared and is ready for the transplant, I'm still willing to do whatever it takes to try and save my son.

Tears are streaming down both of our cheeks at the very thought that there's a chance for our Jake. Edward's never been more beautiful to me than in this moment. His eyes are glassy from emotion and his excitement that our son will be cured is written all over his features.

I don't want to bring him down, but I feel I must express my concerns. I reach over and grasp his hands in mine. "Are you sure that Vic and Jay will agree to something like this?"

His eyes widen. "Definitely! There's no way they'd even consider saying no. Of course, I'd like to ask them in person, so we'll have to figure that out, but there isn't a doubt in my mind that they'll disagree. None."

I allow that to sink in and then move onto my deeper concerns. "What if it doesn't match for some reason? Or the cord blood isn't enough? What if we get our hopes up and it somehow falls through?"

He squeezes my hands harder. "Bella, you can't think like that. Carlisle would've never told us this if he wasn't pretty damn sure," he tries his best to assure me, and it does bring me some relief, but not enough.

I sigh. "Edward, I trust Carlisle implicitly and this prospect is more exciting than any news we've had so far, but it's not enough for me to consider it a forgone conclusion."

His face falls, his eyes landing on our clasped hands. "I thought you'd be happier over the news."

I lift his chin and force him to look at me. "I'm ecstatic, truly I am, but that doesn't mean the search for a match stops. I want Jake cured more than anyone, but until the match is confirmed, we continue the search. Only then will we stop the fight to save our son."

He reaches up and wipes my tears and I do the same to him. This close, looking into his eyes tears me in two. His need for me to give us a chance is there, burning in his green irises. It kills me that I can't, so I offer him the only part of me that I can―my body.

I lean closer and touch his lips with mine. The salty tears are the first thing I taste. He groans and wraps his arms around me, pulling my body flush against his. The kiss is filled with all the words left unsaid as we wage a war against this disease that's claimed our son. Hurt, pain, comfort and lust all swirl as our tongues twine together. As we slow it down and break apart, I lean my forehead into his.

"Come on." I stand and pull his hand. "Let's go to bed."

He instantly stiffens. "What?"

I tug his hand harder. "I said, let's go to bed."

He still doesn't stand, but pulls his hand from mine. "I can't do that."

I tilt my head not understanding what he means. "Can't do what?"

He grips his hair and props his elbow on his knees. "I can't go to bed with you."

I kneel down in front of him and grab his forearms. "What do you mean you can't go to bed with me? I thought we had an agreement? This news doesn't change that."

His eyes jump to mine and what I see there rocks me to my core. "Agreement. Yeah, Bella, we had an agreement, but I'm so fucking beyond that agreement that I can't even think about doing that with you without my heart shattering into pieces." He moves me to the side so he can jump up and pace. "I know I promised I'd do whatever it takes to help Jacob … and I will. I just can't do it this way … not anymore." He stops and looks at me with wet eyes. I'm still frozen in my position on the floor. "I thought when I told you the news that would be it, that you'd want to give up."

I plop down on my ass right there in my spot, stunned by what he just said. It takes me a minute to collect my thoughts and when the realization of what he's actually saying hits me, tears spring into my eyes.

 _After all his effort to win me to his thinking, he's done._

 _He doesn't want me if he can't keep me._

 _If I never have Edward again, can I be okay with that?_

 _He isn't leaving me a choice unless I take a risk._

 _A risk that could tear this family apart._

With that reality burning through my mind like a raging inferno, I suck it up and stand to make my way upstairs.

Alone.

Without another word.

The next few days are normal, but not. Edward is still the sweetest dad in existence and showers our boys with love and affection.

But us?

We pretend.

We pretend that everything is the same when all the while we know it isn't. He still has smiles and words for me, but the touches are gone and I miss them more than I can express. This is what I chose, though, it's all on me and I'd rather have this than nothing at all.

Making sure our boys are together, happy and living the best of both worlds is my number one priority. They have their mama, they have their daddy and they have each other. That's what makes my choice worthwhile. That's what allows me to fall asleep every night with my chest aching, missing and yearning for the man down the hall.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

When I get up Monday morning and head downstairs, I'm shocked to see Edward at the stove already cooking.

He turns when he hears me and smiles. "Morning. Thought you might need a good breakfast for your first day back to work."

My heart catches in my throat that he even cares. "You didn't have to do that. I could've eaten a bowl of cereal."

He scoffs. "Nonsense. That stuff's disgusting."

Deciding not to make anything of how wonderful he's being, I pick up his light mood and toss it back at him. "Oh, I don't know. Yummy fruity bits drenched in milk doesn't sound so bad."

He lifts the pan from the stove and swirls it in my direction, allowing the most mouth-watering scent to fill my nostrils. "Better than this? I think not." He smirks at my slack jaw and places the pan of yummy smelling French toast back on the stovetop.

I snap my jaw shut. "Definitely not better than that. Thank you, Edward," I say sincerely.

He glances at me, and when he notices my expression, his shoulders slump. "Bella, don't ever think that I'd let you go to work on fruity shit. We're a team, remember?"

I look down to the bar top, avoiding his eyes. "You're kinder than I deserve."

I hear him moving around but refuse to look up. It only takes a minute before a plate is sliding in front of me and his body is next to mine. His fingers go to my chin, turning me to face him. "Bella, I get it, okay? It hurts, but I get it. Don't beat yourself up. This family … _our_ family is the most important thing and I adore you even more for standing up for that."

My eyes close because he's killing me with his kindness and I don't deserve it. I'm hurting us both and can't seem to make myself stop no matter how much I wish I could.

I reach up and kiss his cheek. "Thank you for being the most incredible man and father I could've ever wished for my children."

He swallows and then smirks, instantly lightening the situation. "Well, what did you expect? I am pretty amazing after all."

I smack his stomach and turn to dig into my delicious breakfast. After a few minutes of us both eating quietly have passed, I decide to bring up what our next move needs to be.

"So, um, since we're not um … "

He puts his fork down and turns to me, giving me his full attention, a brow lifted in my direction. "Um, what? Is there something you're trying to say, Bella?"

I take a breath and spit it out. "Sex, Edward. Since we're not having sex anymore, I was wondering if you're still willing to make a baby with me?"

He studies me carefully. "Can I ask you something before I answer that?"

I swallow, afraid for where this might go. "Sure."

"What happens if we go through with this and Jay and Vic's baby is able to save Jake? What then?" he asks.

I shrug. "Then we have another baby, that's all. That's all it ever would've been, even if that baby was able to save Jake. I never would've asked you to do that if I wasn't ready to have and love another child."

"So you have thought past a match for Jake then? I mean, I know we'd both love it, but sometimes I think we got lost in hopes of saving Jake and never really considered much more," he explains.

I close my eyes for a second to gather my thoughts. When I open them, I prepare to say things I've never voiced to him. "Edward, I've always wanted children. To the point that I refused to marry the man I was engaged to when I found out that it wasn't in his plans. Then I wasted no time in finding an alternative." I look to the bar to say my next words. "I was ready for another baby anyway, and while I got an instant one with Seth, I have no issues with adding another to this family." I meet his eyes. "As a matter of fact, I can't think of a better person to have one with."

He props his elbows on the bar and buries his head in between his hands. "I … I don't know what to say."

My pulse starts racing. "Did I say something wrong? Are you … Do you not feel the same way?"

He raises his head and blinks rapidly, looking at me with such tenderness. "No, Bella, no. I'm so incredibly touched that you think of me that way. That you want me to be the father of your next child, whether it can save Jake or not."

"Of course I would, Edward," I assure him. "Who better than the father of my other children? But are you sure that this is what you want? To share another baby with me, to be a father again."

He takes a deep breath and nods. "When I agreed the first time, I meant it. Nothing's changed in that aspect. Before coming to Seattle, I always thought it'd only be Seth. But when you suggested and I agreed, it altered my way of thinking, and now I've gotten used to the idea."

I smile. "So you're ready to add another child to this unconventional family we have?"

His smile matches mine. "I am."

"So you'll donate then?" I ask, and then I remember his touch. The way my body responds to his. It takes all I have to continue this conversation.

The one that will take that from me permanently.

His nose crinkles. "I can't fucking believe I'm saying this, but yes, I'll donate."

Unbidden images flash through my mind. Edward in a nondescript room with his head thrown back and his hand moving rapidly up and down his cock. A magazine spread before him of a naked woman.

A woman that isn't me.

I shake my head to clear those images and giggle, keeping the conversation light, although inside it's killing me. "My, my, how times have changed."

He smiles a small smile and it drops almost immediately. "Yeah, they have," he agrees.

And here I am again, right back to feeling like shit.

But I did this.

I can handle the repercussions.

I have to.

"Okay, I'll contact the clinic today and make an appointment," I finally say.

"Sounds good," he agrees and just like that, we're back in tune once more. Only this time, I think we've cleared the air.

After I've cleaned my plate, I stand and stretch. "Time to get dressed. You want me to wake the boys and send them down for breakfast?"

"Nah, let them sleep." He shakes his head. "Oh, wait, did you want to spend a few minutes with them this morning?"

I think that over and decide I'll just pop in and give them kisses. "It'll be okay. I'll just go in and kiss them bye."

"All right, but only if you're sure." Then he smiles. "Maybe we can bring you lunch sometimes?"

"That'd be great, Edward. Thanks for being here and being so supportive. I really don't know what I'd do without you," I tell him honestly.

"You'd do what you always do. Make it work. You're strong and determined and I have no doubts that you could do it all without me," he responds.

"But why would I want to, now that I know what it's like having you around?" I ask.

"You wouldn't." He smirks and goes back to eating while I make my way upstairs with a smile on my face.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

As soon as I get off the elevator, a body is wrapped around mine. "Oh my God, Bella. It's so good to see you again. This place has been crazy without you," Tanya exclaims hugging the life out of me.

I laugh at her appreciation and hug her in return. "Thanks, Tanya, and I'm glad to be back."

She pulls away, but keeps her hands on my arms. "I have so many questions. Sure, Jasper gave me the basics, but none of the real details." Then she squeals and hugs me once more. "I'm so happy to see you and this can only mean one thing, right? Jake is better?"

I weigh that question, not sure how to answer. "He is … for now, anyway. I'll tell you what, why don't you grab us both a coffee and meet me in my office in a few and we'll talk."

"You got it. I've never been happier to fix my boss a coffee than today." With a smile and a little bounce in her step, she's off to the break room.

I chuckle at her excitement and head toward my office.

Sitting behind my desk feels foreign; as though it was another lifetime since I was here, and in some ways, maybe it was. Before I have too much time to dwell, Tanya's already entering with two steaming cups in hand.

"Here you go." She places one in front of me and takes a seat. "So come on, you've got to fill me in on what's been happening. I heard about the switch from Jasper and can't even imagine you getting that news. I also read the joint interview in the _Times,_ but surely there's more to tell? And Jake, Bella, please tell me he's going to be okay."

I hold my hands up to stop her babbling and start filling her in on what has transpired since I left that fateful day Esme called about Jake's nosebleed. She sits in awe and listens to the whole story. Sometimes her brow furrows, sometimes her chin drops and sometimes she almost speaks, but I stop her and get through the whole tale at once. When I've finally finished, she sits silently trying to gather her thoughts.

"So you have two boys now?" she asks.

I nod.

"Both Seth and his father live at your house with you and Jake?"

Again I nod.

She looks contemplative once more. "And there's a possible match for Jake in his family?"

"Possibly, maybe, I don't know. Carlisle seems to think so, but I can't count on that. We're still diligently doing everything possible to find a donor until then," I explain.

"Have you considered running a donor drive type thing? You know, a public event asking anyone and everyone to get tested?" she asks and it's actually a good idea.

I shake my head. "We did plea for the public to get tested in the interview, but having an event hasn't crossed our minds. We've been focused on getting family tested and um … "

"Um, what, Bella?"

"Well, we're considering creating a life that would be a possible match," I say, having no intentions of telling her any deeper details of what has transpired.

She stares at me in shock before finally regaining her composure. "And he agreed to this?"

I sigh. "He did. Edward's as devoted a father as I am a mother."

She takes a sip of her coffee and sits it back on my desk. "Why do I get the feeling there's more to this than you're saying?"

I close my eyes and shake my head, before focusing back on her. "It's complicated, Tanya, and I really don't want to talk about it."

"Okay, I can accept that … for now." She nods. "So, am I going to get to meet Seth?"

This automatically brings a smile to my lips. "Yes, actually, Edward mentioned this morning that he'll bring them by for lunch one day soon."

She studies me curiously, and must decide it isn't worth it because she smiles and takes another sip. "I can't wait."

"Good," I say snapping into work mode. "Now catch me up on what's been happening around here."

So she does.

She fills me in on the new accounts we've gotten while I was away and some of the ways she's handled any issues that came about. Then she moves to all the things that need to be done.

I almost feel overwhelmed with it all, but this is exactly what I need to get my mind off that sexy man at my house right now, tending to my most prized possessions.

When she's done going over everything, she stands to make her way back to her desk. "I really am glad to have you back, Bella."

I smile and pick up the first file in a stack of many. "It's good to be back, even if for just a little while."

Her face falls. "Still a tough road ahead, huh?"

"Yep, we're a long way from being done with this nightmare, but for now, it's going okay." I pick up my cup of untouched coffee and take a sip, grimacing at the cold taste.

She laughs. "Would you like me to get you a refill?"

I smile in thanks. "Sure, that would be great. And thank you, Tanya, for being here when I couldn't," I say meaning it wholeheartedly.

"Where else would I be?" She smiles, grabs my cup and heads for the door.

I chuckle and pick up my phone scrolling until I find the clinic's number. It breaks my heart to make this call, but this is what I wanted from the beginning. Who knew that just a few weeks later, I'd be depressed as fuck that this is the route we're going.

So with sadness in my heart, I make the call that will help me create a life, but keep me from having Edward inside me ever again.

Tanya slips in and places my coffee down while I'm on the phone. I explain to them what I need and set up an initial consultation for Edward later in the afternoon of the following week so I can watch the boys while he goes. After that's done, I sit at my desk and stare at nothing.

 _Why did that call hurt so much?_

 _Why do I feel like crumpling into a ball and crying like a baby?_

 _Why can't I at least try?_

I finally shake it off and get to work, going through the files before me and seeing what needs to be done first. After a couple of phone calls and a visit to catch up with Jasper, I find myself behind my desk again. The phone call to the clinic in the forefront of my mind once more.

 _Can I really give him up?_

 _Can I have another baby with him and still remained detached?_

I picture myself, my stomach swelled with a child. I can so clearly see Edward there, his hands resting on my belly, his soothing voice speaking words of love to our unborn child. Wetness floods my eyes as I yearn for that moment, and a tear leaks out at the realization of what I've done.

Tanya's giggle breaks me from my thoughts and I wonder what has her so tickled that I can hear her laughter from my office.

But then I hear another sound, one I know with every fiber of my being.

It's a chuckle.

A deep, dark, sexy chuckle.

One that sets my body on fire.

One that's ingrained into my very soul.

Slowly, I get up and wipe my face, then make my way to stand in the threshold of my door. What I see there makes my blood run cold and a fire ignite in the pit of my stomach.

Edward has his fists propped on the front of Tanya's desk, leaning forward. He has a cocky smirk and his eyes are twinkling with mischief while she bats her lashes and giggles as if she's fifteen years old.

What.

The.

Fuck!

I cross my arms over my chest to keep myself from scratching her eyes out, and do the only thing I can.

I clear my throat to get their attention.

* * *

 **Wonder how Edward got himself in that position, and where are the boys?**

 **We'll go back and find out on Tuesday, with a teaser in PIF one day before then.**

 **See you then!**


	23. Steep Ascent

**Frannie is my beta, but I do tweak. All mistakes are mine. Judyblue, Michele, Vampiregirl93 and Lissa tell me like it is.**

* * *

 **Day 24**

 **EPOV**

"What's up, bro?" Jay answers the phone right away.

"Nothing really, just wanted to talk to my brother," I tell him.

"Uh, oh. Trouble in paradise I take it?" He always knows, he can read me like a book.

I shake my head. "Nah, not trouble, well yeah, I guess, things definitely are changing."

"Changing … how?" he asks.

I peek out the window to make sure the boys look good and go back to the bar where I'm making them lunch. "I guess I'm going to be donating sperm."

"W-what?" he sputters.

I roll my eyes. "Come on, man. This is serious. I just can't do it anymore."

"You? So this wasn't Bella's idea?" he asks seemingly shocked.

"No, I can't keep sleeping with her. I … I feel too much," I admit.

"Wow," he says. "So you're admitting it then? You're in love with Bella."

It's not a question and I don't know how I feel about that. Am I in love with her? I've only known her a couple of weeks. Could that really be what has me so mixed up?

I want her.

And not just her body.

I want her to be mine.

But is that love?

"I don't know if I'm in love with her or not. I just know that I want more than sex from her." I explain what I feel as best I can.

"Have you told her this?" he asks quietly.

"Well, duh. She knows I'm going to the clinic instead of fucking her now," I sneer and I don't mean to, it's just a touchy subject for me.

"Whoa, man, I get it. It hurts, that pain you feel. That's what love is, but it also can be so much more. It's beautiful when you embrace it and let it take you wherever. Trust me, I know." And I can hear the smile in his voice. "It's worth it. Every single pain is worth the reward of having her by your side in the end."

"But what if she won't have me?" I ask in a small, defeated voice.

"Then you fight. You use everything in your arsenal to show her what she's missing. Trust me, some women are harder to win than others, but when they do fall, they fall completely," he assures.

I walk to the back door and call the boys in to wash up while I start plating their lunch. "You really think it's that simple? That I can win her over?" I ask, hoping like hell that it's true.

He laughs. "Hell yes, I do. First, you're a Masen, and second, just being around the two of you was enough, it was obvious. It's there, man. All you have to do is fight," he rallies.

"Where do I start?" I ask already wondering what I could do to turn the tide in my favor.

"Simple. You show her just how good it can be," he says as if it's the easiest thing to do.

And maybe it is.

So I start putting a game plan together in my mind. A surprise lunch date is at the top of the list right now. "Thanks, man. I think I can do this. Let me go so I can get started." I try to rush him from the phone so I can put my plan into motion.

He laughs outright now. "Sure, use me and throw me away. I see how it is."

"Yeah, yeah. You know I love you," I chide, finally smiling.

"Love you, too, bro. We'll talk later. Let me know how it goes."

"Will do," I tell him, hanging up quickly.

"Boys, come eat," I yell. Time to whip Bella up something special and make her day brighter.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

We pull up and park across the street from Bella's office and I hurry to unbuckle the rambunctious boys. They're both excited by the adventure alone.

"Come on, give me your hands, we have to cross the street." I grab the backpack with Bella's lunch and slide it on, and then I take Seth and Jake on either side.

We approach the crosswalk and wait for the light to change. When we get to the other side, we start down the sidewalk, toward Bella's building.

Jake suddenly stops walking. "Look, Daddy Edward, that's my ice cream place." He's pointing to a little shop nestled in the row of buildings.

"Your place?" I raise my brow. He's planted in his spot so we all stop walking.

He shakes his head up and down rapidly. "Uh, huh. I always get ice cream there when I come see Mama."

"You do?" I ask, humoring him.

"Yep. You taking us there?" He answers with his own question.

"Maybe we'll stop by after we see Mama, but right now we have to take her lunch." I tug his hand a little, hoping he'll agree and start moving.

He doesn't.

He snatches his hand from mine and crosses his arms. "No! I want ice cream."

What the hell? I put my hand on his back to nudge him further down the sidewalk. "No, Jake, I told you we might stop when we're done."

He stands firm. "I always get ice cream when I come see Mama."

I take a deep breath. "And if you want it this time, you'll behave and come with me now."

"No!" He stomps his foot.

Oh, shit. This is familiar. I remember being a stubborn little kid, giving my nanny hell.

 _Please don't let him be as bad as me._

I drop down in front of him, getting face to face. "Jake, we're going to take your Mama lunch, and then, if you're good, we'll stop by the ice cream shop," I say in my most serious voice.

I've never had to use this on him so I'm not sure how he'll respond. I hope like hell he'll realize I mean business and we can carry on our way.

He bursts into tears. "No, Daddy, I want ice cream now!" Tears are running down his cheeks and people are starting to side-eye us as they walk by.

For one second, I'm in shock, as this is the first time he's called me just _Daddy_ and that fills my heart with joy, but this isn't exactly the scenario I had in mind. I try to rein in my happiness and get back to the situation at hand.

"Jacob Charles Swan, you calm yourself down right this minute," I say between clenched teeth. "If you don't stop, you're not getting ice cream at all."

He screams louder and I look around to see that just about everyone is staring at us stopped on the sidewalk.

I wave at them dismissively. "Carry on, people. Nothing to see here."

Seth is standing there looking between us. "Daddy, you makin' Jake cry," he points out.

"I can see that, Seth," I snap then feel bad. "Sorry, dude. I don't know what to do."

He shrugs. "Take us to get ice cream." And it's just that simple to a three-year-old.

But this is my test. The one that lets Jake know he can't be the boss of me. I offered an alternative solution and he refused. Now I have to be the grown-up. This is my opportunity to make him understand who's in charge.

Even though seeing him cry is breaking my heart.

Seth gives it a go. "It's okay, Jake. We get ice cream after we see Mama. Daddy said so." He's leaned over close, trying to talk over Jake's crying.

"I said no! I want ice cream now!" Jake all but yells.

I'm stunned and so completely not prepared for this outburst. I want to just say fuck it and take them for ice cream, but I know I can't. Bella would never put up with this and I can't let him think I'm a pushover.

I put my hand on his little arms and direct his crying face to mine. "Jacob, you'll stop this crying right this second. We're not getting ice cream at all now. We're going to see Mama and if you don't come willingly, I can always pick you up kicking and screaming."

He just screams louder and I'm at a loss.

 _Think, Edward, think._

 _What would I do if this were Seth?_

 _Seth knows better than this bullshit._

 _However, this isn't Seth, this is Jacob and he doesn't know how far I'll let him push._

I grab him around the waist and lift him up, prepared to tote him kicking and screaming all the way to Bella's office. People are staring and I have to stop myself from telling them to mind their own fucking business.

"Edward?" I hear from the side and turn to see Alice approaching. "Having a little trouble?"

I roll my eyes. "Nah, everything's just peachy," I say sarcastically.

She walks over and lifts a crying Jake from my arms. "What's the matter, sweetie?" she asks, wiping the tears from his face.

"Daddy won't get me ice cream. I always have ice cream." He gives me a mean look as he explains to Alice what's going on, hiccupping and sniffing the whole time.

It makes me feel like shit.

Alice humors him. "Aw, poor baby."

I sigh. "I told him he could have ice cream after we visited Bella," I stress. I want her to understand that I'm not just making him scream for nothing.

She stands him on the sidewalk and kneels down in front of him, wiping his face with a napkin. "Jacob, you know better than to act this way. Your dad said he'd get you some later, so you should be happy with that. What would your mama say if she saw this?"

He sniffs a couple times and attempts to stop crying. "I be in trouble."

Seth breaks in. "Uh, huh. Mama not let us have ice cream if we cry like that."

Alice nods at him. "Yep, your mama would not be happy with you. Why would you do this to your daddy then?"

Although I know I should be the one calming the situation, I can't help but be relieved that Alice swooped in and Jake is drying his tears.

I get down on my knees beside Alice. "I'm sorry that I upset you, dude, but you have to do as I say. I told you we'd get some later."

"Edward, I think I can explain," Alice says. "You see, the only times Jake's been here to visit is when I've taken him. Every time we come, we stop in for ice cream before we go up to see Bella. It's kind of our tradition. I know that doesn't excuse his behavior, but I guess, when you said you were coming here, he automatically thought that meant he was gettng the ice cream first."

I blow out a breath. "I can see that," I say to Alice and look back to Jake. "I think you owe Daddy an apology for the way you acted. I understand you were upset, but you can't behave like that and expect to get your way."

He sniffles once more and reaches over to wrap his arms around my neck. "I sorry, Daddy. I won't do that again."

The softness of his voice and the feel of his little arms around my neck, completely disarm me. And then to be called Daddy, too? I feel myself melting into this moment; freezing it in my mind to hold onto forever.

I stand and pick him up with me, reaching out my other hand for Seth to take. "Come on, dudes. Let's go take Mama some lunch." I look to Alice. "Thank you. You have no idea how much I appreciate you stepping in to help."

She smiles. "No problem and I understand why you were sticking firm, but uh … "

I lift a brow. "But what?"

"Well, I was just stopping in to see Jasper for a few minutes and I'd be happy to take them for ice cream first," she says then rushes on, "I mean if you don't mind. You can go on up and see Bella and I'll bring them up when we're done. It is our tradition after all and I'd love to share it with Seth, too."

Jake's head perks up from where it was resting on my shoulder. "Can we, Daddy? I be good, I promise."

Seth, not to be left out pouts. "Please, Daddy. I love ice cream."

"Don't you boys want to see Mama?" I ask them both.

"We see her after ice cream," Jake assures me.

"Yep, you go see her while we eat ice cream. Then we come see her," Seth reasons.

Alice chuckles and ruffles Seth's hair. "You have some amazing guys here, Edward."

I smile and agree. "I do, don't I?"

I probably shouldn't give in, but I can't picture myself telling them no, so I agree. "Okay, boys, I'm going to let you go with Aunt Alice to get ice cream,"―both boys fist pump as soon as the words are out of my mouth―" _but_ , next time we come, don't expect this to be the routine. Got it?"

"We got it, Daddy," Seth answers. "Come on, Jake.

Jake starts squirming to get down, but before he does, I hug him close. "I love you, buddy."

He kisses my cheek. "I love you, too, Daddy. See you when we done wif ice cream. Tell Mama I be there soon."

I chuckle and sit him down to take Alice's outstretched hand. "Sure thing, dude. You boys better be good for Aunt Alice," I warn.

Seth rolls his eyes. "We big boys. We be good."

I watch as she turns and leads them into the little ice cream shop. Then I shake my head and make my way to Bella's building.

When I step from the elevator, I begin making my way to the secretary's desk at the end of the hall. The closer I get, the more familiar the strawberry blonde seated behind the desk looks. My steps slow.

 _Small fucking world._

That day seems a lifetime ago.

My walk turns into a swagger and a smirk forms on my lips. Maybe not exactly what I had in mind, but this has possibilities.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" I ask as I approach her desk.

She looks up at the sound of my voice and a slow smile spreads on her lips. "So, we meet again, only this time you've come to me. What can I do for you, Mr. … ?"

Instead of giving her my name, I tell her what she can do for me. "I'm here to see Ms. Swan."

Her brow hitches. "Oh? She doesn't have any appointments scheduled today. Actually, it's her first day back from er … uh, vacation. I've been handling all of her meetings, so perhaps it was me you wish to see?"

I decide to avoid her suggestion for a minute. "Small world, huh?"

She licks her lips. "Very small world indeed."

"I probably need to apologize for my reaction on our last encounter. You see, that day was very stressful for me," I say in a smooth voice.

She leans forward, propping her forearms on her desk. "And is this a different day, with different circumstances?" she asks suggestively.

I have really to consider what she's suggesting. Can I do this? Can I really even think of flirting, dating … fucking another woman? A woman who isn't Bella.

No, I can't, but I can pretend.

"I'm not sure," I say looking pensive. "It depends on what you have in mind."

She throws her head back and giggles. "Oh, I think you very well know what I have in mind."

I chuckle, prop my fists on her desk, and lean forward. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice a body lean in the open doorway a few feet away.

 _Bella._

"I know exactly―"

Her throat clears and the secretary jumps. "Bella, sorry I didn't see you standing there."

"I'm sure you didn't, Tanya," Bella answers her snidely.

Uh oh.

Then she directs her laser beams at me. "Edward."

Tanya gasps. "Edward?"

"Yes, Edward," Bella snaps hardly giving her a glance. Her eyes are burning a hole through me. "Where are the boys?" she demands.

I meet her eyes and stand tall, not backing down. "They went for ice cream with Alice. She'll bring them up in a little bit. I actually brought you lunch."

Tanya stands then. "And why didn't you just say that?" She crosses her arms and it looks as if I'm not facing just one irate woman, but two.

"Where's the fun in that?" I glance at her and smirk. If I'm going to hell, I might as well do it thoroughly.

A huff brings my attention back to Bella. She's standing there with her arms crossed over her chest and her eyes burning with emotion.

 _Jealousy_.

"So, lunch?" I ask as I walk in her direction, removing the backpack from my shoulders.

Her eyes turn to slits. "Are you sure you wouldn't rather share with someone else?" She cuts her evil orbs to Tanya.

"Oh, hell no," Tanya disagrees. "I had no idea who he was, Bella. I'm sorry."

Bella's shoulders slump. "I know." She turns and walks into her office, stopping to hold the door, motioning me inside.

I do as I'm bid and when I'm through, she slams it shut with a bang.

I take a deep breath before turning to face her, my own rage at the situation simmering just below the surface.

How dare she? Who in the fuck does she think she's fucking with? She doesn't want me, yet she wants to act pissed because of some innocent flirting. Flirting I had no intention of following through with.

 _But I could if I wanted to._

 _She doesn't own me._

"What the fuck was that, Edward?" she demands and my ire grows.

"What did it look like, Bella?" I sneer at her because I can't stop myself.

"It looked like you were ready to fuck my secretary right across her desk!" She all but screams.

I take a step toward her. "So what if I was?"

Her eyes go wide and I take another step.

"What do you expect from me?" I ask.

It's a plea.

I take another step.

"You don't want me, but you want no one else to have me. Is that it Bella? Is that how you want it? To keep me locked away from all other women, but still refuse me yourself?" I'm begging her to tell me at this point, I just need her to say the words.

She gathers herself up then, her face becoming a mask. "No, that's not what I want, Edward. You're free to do as you please. I'm sorry for how I reacted. It's none of my business."

I'm standing directly before her now and she's refusing to meet my eyes.

"I want it to be your business," I say softly. "I want you to care. I want _you_ to want me. Why can't you want me, Bella?" My voice is cracking under the stress of this conversation and so is my heart.

Her eyes meet mine and the crack in my heart widens. "I do," she says.

The anger resurfaces like the lava of a volcano, exploding forth with no warning. "Then take me goddammit! Fucking claim me, make me yours. Show Tanya who the fuck I belong to. _Claim me_!" I'm desperate.

Her breathing has picked up and the indecision is clear.

I push her further. "Make me yours. Stop torturing us like this. I want you. Only you. Please, Bella." I lean my forehead against hers as my eyes plead with her to make the right choice.

Seconds later, her eyes clear and determination settles over her features. Before I can read her decision, she places her hands on my chest and pushes. My back slams into her door with a loud thunk. Her fingers curl in my hair and she yanks my lips to hers.

It's fire and passion.

Light and dark.

Press and release.

Nip and dive.

Everything fades in the background and all I can feel is us.

Bella's made her decision.

The decision to own me.

She pulls back and looks me dead in the eyes, lips swollen and breaths labored.

"You. Are. _Mine_. Edward. Masen."

* * *

 **Okay then …**

 **See you Monday :)**


	24. No Tresspassing

**Thanks so much to Fran for all she does even though I do tweak! Vampiregirl93, Michele, Lissa and Judyblue give me sage advice.**

* * *

 **Day 24**

 **BPOV**

You.

Are.

 _Mine._

Edward Masen.

I can't fight it anymore, I don't want to. This man and these feeling can't be pushed aside. I want him and he's made it clear that he's mine for the taking.

So I take.

I take it all.

I rip his T-shirt from his jeans and yank it over his head, tossing it over my shoulder. Then I dive. I dive for those lips that own me. We crash and collide, breaking apart and fusing together again.

His arms round my back, pulling me closer. His hands venture down to cup my ass, sliding my skirt higher. With a simple lift, my legs are wrapped around his waist and he flips my back to the wall. Our hips thrust in tune with our tongues.

Back and forth.

Harder and harder.

His jeans dig into me over and over, building my pleasure to new heights. My breathing escalates until I have to snatch my lips away to take in huge lungsful of air. His lips continue along my jaw and down my neck, caressing any open skin they find.

I run my fingers through his hair and grip, bringing his face up to meet my eyes.

"I want this, Edward. I want you," I affirm my choice aloud so he won't be mistaken of my intentions.

He leans in, nips my lips and then soothes them with a lick. "I'm yours. There's no going back from this. When you take me now, I'm yours to keep. Are you sure, Bella?" Deep, mesmerizing eyes lock on mine and they beg me to agree―to own every part of him.

I tighten my hold on his hair and he moans. "I can't fight it anymore, I don't want to. I want to own you, and I want to be owned."

"Fuck," he swears. "Say it again, baby. Tell me to own you one more time."

"Take me, Edward. Own me right now."

And he does.

There's never been a question of whether we were sexually compatible. Our bodies react as if they're made to intertwine; a perfect match. It's instinctual, the way we respond to each other.

Give and take.

Caress and moan.

Act and react.

It's a dance of carnal pleasure where our bodies are in control. His button snaps open and zipper releases. My panties are slipped to the side and he slides inside.

Our mutual moans of pleasure echo through the room as the feeling of completeness settles around us. Eyes lock in a stare down of trust, agreement―all-encompassing emotion. Our bodies writhe together while our souls burn into each other.

They become one at this moment.

The moment that binds us together.

One heart, one soul, one entity.

His forehead leans into mine. "Fuck, baby. So good. Say it, Bella. Say it again," he pleads.

"I'm yours, Edward. Only yours," I pant.

My breaths caress his lips and my heart beats out of control. Beating for this man who's giving me his all and I'm finally able to give in return.

It's frantic, possessive―perfect.

My back thumps against the door in tune with his thrusts and I can't even care. It's the good kind of pain, the kind that makes you feel alive.

So very alive.

"Touch yourself, baby. I don't know how much longer … _Please, baby_ ," he begs.

My hand slides lower and into my panties. When they make contact with my clit, I automatically tense around him. "Oh, God," I moan.

"That's it, baby. Work that clit, come on … " he says thrusting and pivoting harder and faster.

My head falls back against the door and his lips glide along my neck and up to my ear. "Fuck, Bella," he whispers. "Give it to me. Let go."

His words mixed with the emotions flowing through my body are enough to drive me wild. I press harder and speed up my fingers. My legs clench him tighter as the tingling begins.

I'm on the very edge and with a couple more thrusts, I start falling. I'm falling from a cliff that's been eluding me. A cliff of promise that I'm afraid I can't live up to. A cliff of hope that I can. A cliff of the unknown.

"Oh, God, Edward," I pant as he thrusts and thrusts and thrusts.

Draining every drop of satisfaction from me.

"Goddammit, baby," he grunts as he falls over the edge.

His thrusts slow and his head falls to my shoulder. My fingers automatically go to his soft, coppery hair and my nails scratch his scalp lightly. His moans of pleasure send a tingle back through my body.

When our breathing has calmed, he slowly lifts his gaze to mine. He looks sheepish, afraid. I can't allow that.

Gripping tighter, I pull him close. "I'm yours," I whisper before placing a small kiss to his passion-reddened lips.

The smile that forms when I pull away, takes my breath. I've seen it before, this joy, but not quite this open. It sparkles in his eyes and radiates from his lips. It beams from his soul, and in turn, mine beams, too.

He slowly begins lowering my almost-numb legs to the floor, and presses closer to keep me upright. His palms make their way to my cheeks. "I promise you won't regret it, Bella." He pecks my lips. "We're going to be so good together. You'll see."

And I do see.

I see it in his eyes. I see it in his smile. I see it in our boys' happiness. I see it in myself. I see me wanting this and wondering why I wouldn't let myself have it before.

I finally see.

"I know. I'm sorry it took me so long," I apologize.

He shakes his head. "You have nothing to be sorry for. _You're_ worth it all. _We're_ worth it all. Our family just became better in the best way."

The doubt creeps in. "Can you promise me that, Edward? Can you really promise that we'll never let our problems affect the boys?"

He closes his eyes for a second, before focusing back in on me. "What problems, Bella? Sure, we might argue, all couples do, but that's what we are now; a couple. I don't intend on that changing."

"But how can you be so sure? You might find that I'm not what you want. I can be a bitch, and what if I have disgusting habits that drive you crazy?" I ask.

His hand slides around to cup my neck. "Baby, did you forget that I've been living with you? I know all about your habits and I find most of them cute. As for being a bitch? Hello. Have you met me? I can be a dick without much prodding. We're a perfect match."

I finally allow a smile to settle over my lips. "We are, aren't we?"

His shoulders sag in relief. "Now you get it, and don't ever forget. You are fucking mine, Bella Swan." He punctuates it with a kiss that makes my toes curl and my heart rate spike.

When he's done plundering my mouth, he leans back and smirks. "And I'm yours. For as long as you'll keep me. Will you keep me, Bella?"

I pretend to ponder it for a second before I respond. "Oh, I don't know. I might let Tanya have a shot first." I can't resist that dig.

His brows rise to his hairline and the look on his face would be comical if I thought anything about his interaction with her was funny. Just remembering it makes my teeth clench.

When he's gained his composure, his face turns serious, his eyes deadly. "Trust me, Bella. If I'd wanted Tanya, I would've had her weeks ago. Today just happened to be a coincidence, and from the results of it, a very good coincidence. The best fucking coincidence, the kind that made you see."

My eyes land on his bare chest. "I do see. I hated it. It made me furious," I admit.

His finger traces my collarbone and up to my chin, lifting it to meet his gaze. "I would've never _ever_ fucked her. Especially now that I know she works with you. And you seem to be good friends, so please, don't hold it against her. She had no clue who I was."

I swallow. "Okay … I won't. I promise."

He smiles. "Good. Now we should make ourselves presentable and um"―he rubs the back of his neck―"the boys should be here soon."

I gasp. "Oh shit. How long have you been here?"

He looks around to the clock on the wall. "Um, a little over thirty minutes." He walks over to grab his shirt while I attempt to straighten my clothes. "I hope they aren't already out there."

I can feel the color drain from my face. "What! No." I'm almost panicking at the thought that our boys are in the waiting room. I mean, sure, I internally enjoyed the thought that Tanya might hear us, but I never even contemplated the idea that our boys might be sitting out there, too.

"Hey, hey, calm down," Edward says walking over to me as he tucks in his shirt. "They're with Alice. If she heard strange things going on in here she'd remove them from the room." He waggles his eyebrows and I can't help but laugh.

"You're right. And knowing Alice, she was fist pumping while she drug them away." I roll my eyes just picturing her excitement over office sex between Edward and me.

 _Oh my God, office sex between Edward and me. Kinda has a nice ring to it. And bedroom sex and shower sex and guest room sex and counter sex and …_

"Bella," Edward says, waving his hand in front of my face. "Where'd you go?"

I give my head a little shake to clear it and walk to my desk to grab a couple of tissues. "Oh, nowhere, just thinking."

He smirks. "Uh, huh. I bet you were. Judging by the look on your face, what you were thinking about must've been pretty great."

"Wouldn't you like to know." I give him my own smirk.

He moves in close. Too close. "I can make you tell me."

"You probably could, but right now we need to check on our boys," I say and as an afterthought I add, "And I need to clean up your jizz that's running down my thigh."

"Goddammit, woman. Just the thought turns me on and I really don't need to be turned on right now," he growls. "And, please, don't talk about my jizz and our boys in the same breath."

I laugh, take care of business, and then look him over. His hair is a mess, but other than that, and the glow in his eyes, he looks perfectly perfect.

 _Like Edward_.

"Do I look okay?" I ask. "Well, at least somewhat normal, I mean."

"Beautiful." He smiles and links his fingers through mine. "Shall we?"

I smile and lead us to my office door. Once there, I stop and take a deep breath then pull it open to drag Edward out behind me, hands firmly grasped.

As soon as we step out, I spot Tanya. She's sitting at her desk completely ignoring us. I know she is because of the pink that's tinging her cheeks and the fact that she can definitely hear my door open.

I smirk a little to myself and wonder what else she heard.

Alice and the boys are nowhere in sight, so I allow the tension to leave my shoulders and clear my throat. Tanya's head snaps up, she looks anywhere but at my eyes.

My smirk grows.

"Yes, Bella," she says, fiddling with some papers on her desk.

"We're expecting Alice and the boys here any minute. Could you please send them in as soon as they arrive?" I request.

It's then that she finally meets my eyes. "Actually," she starts, "they've already been here." My face pales. "But don't worry," she continues, "I caught them at the elevator and directed them to Jasper's office." A slow smirk spread up her own lips. "I didn't think you'd want them out here and subjected to … that." She waves her hand in motion to my door.

Relief sweeps through me, so I square my shoulders and hold her gaze. "Thank you, Tanya. I appreciate you doing that." I clear my throat. "And I apologize that you were subjected to _that,_ also."

She leans back in her chair and crosses her arms with a chuckle. "No, I don't think you are. But that's okay, Bella. If I had that man"―her eyes flick to Edward―"I'd want the whole world to know it, too. Or at the very least the simpering secretary."

I almost feel guilty … almost, but I won't. Edward is mine, plain and simple, and she would've never had him. I squeeze his hand tighter to let him know that I'm still here in this moment with him. Nothing said can change that. He responds with a brush of his thumb to my knuckles.

He has me now―completely.

I laugh at Tanya's declaration. "Yeah, pretty much."

Edward steps forward then. "I'm sorry, Tanya. I should've never let you think I was interested. It was a bad decision on my part and I apologize for putting you in the middle of this." He motions between the two of us.

"Glad I could be of assistance," she snarks and turns back to her desk, getting back to work.

Edward chuckles and turns to me. "I like her."

I nod. "She is pretty great," I say, loud enough for her to hear, then tug his hand. "Come on, let's go find our boys."

When we reach Jasper's door, I can already hear the boys inside. Hopefully, they'll have burnt off their sugar high with Alice. I knock lightly as I'm opening the door.

Both boys' heads jerk in our direction. "Mama," they say simultaneously. "We was comin' to your office, but Alice said we needa see Jasper instead," Jake tacks on.

I shoot a smirking Alice a look of thanks and lean down opening my arms. They fly over and wrap me in their tiny embraces. After a good hug and kisses to both of their cute little faces, I pull away.

"Did you guys enjoy your ice cream?" I ask them.

"It was good," Seth answers.

"I not cry for Daddy no more, I promise," Jake says.

My brow furrows, and just when I'm about to ask what he means, Edward leans down beside me and ruffles Jake's hair. "I know you won't, dude. Now come on, let's go down and give Mama her lunch."

I give him a look, but he just shakes his head and grabs the boys' hands, motioning for me to lead the way. When we arrive back to my office, I open my lunch and eat, while the boys tell me all about the ice cream they chose and their morning with their dad. All in all, I couldn't have asked for a better first day back to work.

I walked in a woman afraid, and will leave a woman in possession of the greatest treasure.

"Alright, dudes, let's go so Mama can get some work done," Edward announces after I've finished eating.

I stand to walk them out and feel nervous about how to act. But with a simple smile and a grasp of my hand, Edward soothes the worry away. Our boys are smart and happy; we'll have no problem at all easing them into a new, more affectionate, Mama and Daddy.

When we reach the elevator, Edward turns and places a quick peck on my lips and steps back with a smirk. I ruffle the boys' hair and remind them to be good for their dad as I watch them disappear behind the elevator doors.

On the way back through reception, I completely ignore Tanya's eyes boring into me and make my way into my office, stopping to close the door as she enters behind me.

"What the hell, Bella," she says as we walk to our seats. "Clearly you left a lot out this morning. You've been hiding out at home with that yummy man and you came back to work?" she asks incredulously.

"Seems like coming back to work was the best decision I've made." I smirk and lean forward on my desk. "But what I'm more interested in is exactly how you know Edward." I lift a brow.

So she tells me.

I sit quietly and take in everything she says from their first meeting, to their second, and to today. And while I find it fascinating, it also scares me a little.

What if I'd pushed Edward away longer, would he have moved on?

What if he'd taken her up on either of those offers?

What if it had been a different day they met?

Would he be with her now instead of me?

Tanya's an exceptional woman and any man would be lucky to have her, but now I know how lucky I am. This could've been so horribly different.

When she's done all I can say is, "Wow."

She smiles with fondness. "I tried, Bella. I tried. He was having none of it. When he walked in here today, I thought the boyfriend gods were shining down on me." She narrows her eyes at me. "But that man so belongs to somebody else."

I can't help but grin a cheesy grin. "He does."

"Well spill girl. I know you aren't going to leave me hanging after marking your territory so thoroughly." She motions with her hands for me to start talking.

And I do.

I tell her all about mine and Edward's journey leading up to today.

When I'm done, she sits back and crosses her arms. "So this is what love looks like, huh?"

"L … love?" I stutter. "Um, no, we're definitely not there yet."

She stands. "And I thought you were a smart woman." She winks and walks back out to her desk without another word.

Love?

No.

There's no way Edward and I are in love.

We're barely just beginning.

We can't be in love.

* * *

 **If I did my job correctly, Tanya still served her usual purpose, but came out very likable.**

 **Next update is Saturday!**


	25. Roundabout

**Thanks to Frannie, but all mistakes are mine. Lissa, Judyblue, Michele and Vampiregirl3 pre-read for me :)**

* * *

 **EPOV**

"All right, Jake. Are you ready?" Carlisle asks.

It's Tuesday, so that means it's bloodwork day.

Jake nods and I watch with a grimace as Carlisle sticks the needle in his arm. Jake's a trooper; he comes in here every week and goes through the same routine acting as though it's nothing out of the ordinary. It hurts my heart to put him through so much, but at the same time, I know it's necessary.

When he's done and a band-aid is placed on both boys―yes, Seth gets one, too―he calls for Heidi to take the boys for their suckers.

As soon as they're out the door, I turn to him. "Carlisle, we're planning to go to Chicago soon and I was wondering if Jake will be able to make the trip?"

He rubs his chin and moves his head side to side. "His last results showed signs that his counts are going down. They're not at a critical level and he isn't showing symptoms yet. The medications help, but if you want to take him to Chicago, I'd really like it if he received his next transfusion first."

I nod, thinking over what he's saying. It's crucial that we make the trip soon, so maybe that is for the best. "Okay. Can we schedule it this week? And would he be okay for a weekend trip?"

"Oh, yes. The transfusion is a simple process, like giving blood. Of course, afterward we'll need to make sure it boosts his levels, but using your donated blood will help," he answers. "Would you like me to schedule it for tomorrow?"

"Do we go to the hospital?" I ask.

Carlisle sighs. "Actually, yes. It will be Alec that oversees this procedure."

My jaw clenches just hearing the prick's name, but he's what my son needs and I can live with that. "Okay. So what do we need to do?"

"I'll call the hospital and get it set. Then I'll need you to come back in on Thursday for me to take blood again. As long as the results are normal, he'll be cleared for travel," Carlisle assures me. "I'll call in the morning and let you know the time. Does that work for you?"

I stand and hold out my hand. "Sounds good and thanks, Carlisle. You've been the best and I can't thank you enough." We shake and I start my way to the door.

"Let me know how it goes in Chicago, Edward. I love Jake and Bella as much as you do," he says with a knowing smile.

My brows rise into my hairline. "Uh … yeah, Carlisle, I know you do," I answer and hurry out of the room, not sure what to make of that.

I mean, of course, I love Jake, but Bella?

 _Do I love her?_

I admire, respect, adore … but love?

I shake my head to clear it and decide to put it out of my mind. Carlisle just caught me off guard, no reason to make a big deal of it.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

Later that day, after feeding the boys lunch and getting them down for a nap, I figure I'd better call Jay and make sure he knows we plan to visit this weekend.

"I hope like hell you're calling to tell me it worked," he answers without a greeting.

I smirk, remembering exactly how well it worked, though not exactly what he had in mind. "Something worked, I will say that, but that's not why I called."

"Don't think you're going to get away with just that bullshit. What happened?" he prods.

I sigh. Do I really want to get into this with Jay?

He doesn't wait for me to decide. "Come on, man," he whines like a baby. "I know you're not going to hold out on me now."

And I'm not, although I'm also not going to spill all of the details. Somehow, things feel more personal now. This is _our_ relationship, and for some reason, I don't feel right discussing it so openly, even with my closest confidant.

Figuring I'll give him the abridged version, I start talking. "I took your advice. I made her something excellent and surprised her for lunch," I say, hoping he'll think that did the trick.

"And," he digs.

I rub my forehead and push my hand through my hair. "And what?"

"And, if you think I'm stupid enough to buy that bullshit then you've lost your damn mind," he says, exasperated.

I sigh, weighing exactly how much I'm willing to share. "Fuck, Jay. Can't I just say that we're together now and that be enough for you?"

"Hell to the no," he says. "You call me all sappy and shit because she won't give you a shot and now that she did, you aren't even going to tell me what happened? That's low, brother, real low."

He's right I know he is. I've always talked shop with him, so I give him the general rundown of what happened, excluding the hot office sex. Some things just need to be kept fucking private.

He ate that shit up with a spoon. "Oh, hell yeah, man," he says excitedly. "That jealousy card will snag 'em every time."

I roll my eyes. "It wasn't my fucking plan or anything; it's just how it worked out. I have to say, though, I couldn't be more grateful." I smile just remembering Bella's reaction to my flirting with Tanya.

"I'm happy for you, man, both of you. Not only do you have your sons, but you've finally given in and have each other. Don't fuck it up dude," he warns, his voice serious.

"Oh, I don't plan to," I assure him. "I don't think I've ever wanted a woman quite the way I want Bella, and there's no way in hell that I'm letting her go."

"Where's my brother and who are you?" Jay asks sarcastically.

I shake my head because maybe he just doesn't get it. "Man, it's like … it's like, I don't know. Ever since the moment she slapped me, it's as if a fucking switch was flipped. A woman that would stand up to me on _that_ day for her son―no our son―earned so much respect. And each and every decision she makes is about our boys' best interest. It's so much different than the cunt that actually carried Jake," I say snidely. "I find myself in fucking awe sometimes. She's so different from any other woman I've ever known."

"Maybe that's because you wouldn't give any others a chance," he suggests quietly.

I shrug and think about what he's saying. "No, I guess I didn't." Then I chuckle. "But I suppose I don't have to worry about that anymore. I've found my woman and she's just that … mine." Every time I remember that a chill runs through me.

After the boys and I left her office yesterday, we came home and made sure to cook her a special dinner to show her how much we appreciate her. Later on, I was able to show her privately how much I appreciate her giving us a chance ... long and slow, soft and caring.

She still kicked me out of the bed, but it's a work in progress. The boys need to feel comfortable with our new affection before they catch us in the same bed.

"Wow," Jay says, bringing me back from my thoughts. "My baby brother is in love."

"Uh … L … love?" I sputter. "I don't think it's love. I adore her, I admire her, I want to fuck her, but love? Nah, it's definitely not love. Nope, no way," I conclude, shaking my head vigorously even though he can't see me.

He chuckles into the line. "Always the hard-head. You'll see bro. One day it'll hit you and you'll realize I was right all along. Be sure and call me when it happens so I can laugh at your dumb ass."

I snort and decide to move the fuck on from his crazy talking bullshit. "Whatever, man. Look, don't you want to know the real reason I called? It's kind of important."

"Shoot, man. What's so important that you'd rather talk about than how much you love Bella?" he patronizes me.

"Actually, it's pretty fucking important. Bella and I need to talk to you and Vic and it needs to be in person. We're planning to visit this weekend," I explain.

"Sounds serious," he observes.

I run my fingers through my hair somehow feeling nervous even though I know there's no reason. "It is serious. I know it's going to drive you mad wondering, but it can't be discussed over the phone. Just know that it's nothing bad, in fact, it's pretty amazing."

"Okay," he says accepting my explanation. "Have you booked your flights yet?"

"Nah, I wanted to talk to you and we need to get the all-clear on Jake traveling, but Carlisle thinks it won't be an issue. I'll let you know for sure Thursday after that's done and our flights are booked," I tell him.

"Sounds good, bro. Everybody will be excited to see you," he says.

I nod, thinking this has potential. Maybe I can get Mom to spend a little time with the boys while we talk. "Yeah, we'll be excited to see you, too, all of you. We miss you guys."

"Damn, bro, don't make me all sappy and shit. We miss you and Seth like crazy," he says, trying to keep the melancholy from his voice.

"I know, man. We feel the same. Who knows? Maybe you'll up and join us out here one day," I suggest lightly, but really wishing it could be true.

"Yeah." He sighs. "Maybe one day."

"All right, let's move on from this depressing shit," I say, decidedly.

"True dat," he agrees. "So, where are you going to stay while you're in town?"

I hadn't really thought about it, but the answer is obvious. "My house." I shrug. "Makes the most sense and I'd love to share a little piece of mine and Seth's life with Bella and Jake."

"Of course you would." I can almost hear his eye roll. "Dude, you are so damn transparent."

"What?" I snap. "Why wouldn't I want to share my home with Bella and Jake?"

"You would, man, it's only natural to want to share yourself with those you _love,_ " he says evenly.

I fucking sigh and run my hand through my hair again. "Fuck, man. Just let it go … please. I told you, I'm not in love with Bella."

"You don't love Mama?" I hear a sad voice from a few feet away.

My head snaps to the side, only to be met with Jake's imploring, green eyes staring back at me.

 _Motherfucker!_

My hand tightens into a fist. "Jay, I have to go. Jake's up from his nap. You'll hear from me Thursday." I end the call without waiting for a reply and go to my son.

I drop to my knees in front of him. "Hey, buddy. Daddy didn't know you were awake. Come here." I pick him up and take him to the couch.

Sitting down, I put him on my lap facing me. "Dude, Daddy was just talking sh … uh, junk with Uncle Jay. You know I love you and I like your Mama, too. A whole lot, actually," I try to explain away my words.

"But you not love her, though?" He shrugs and looks at me with those little, sad eyes and I don't know what to say to make it all better.

I swallow and pray I'm doing the right thing. "Jake, I love both you and your mama … very much."

His smile is huge. "You do?" he asks, excitedly.

I simply nod my head and smile back at him, not sure how I feel about the words I just uttered. They didn't feel wrong sliding from my tongue, but my mind is hung up whether they're true or not.

 _Do I really love Bella?_

 _Or was I just saying it to appease Jake?_

Giving me no time to ponder further, Jake jumps down from my lap. "Come on, let's go wake up Seth." I chuckle as he grabs my hand and leads me up the stairs.

With both boys up and watching a movie in the living room, I start dinner. Tonight will be braised beef short ribs with mashed potatoes and roasted asparagus. I know that asparagus might be pushing it with the boys, so I'm going to make a lemon-balsamic reduction glaze to make it more appealing to their young pallets.

After getting the beef seared and into the oven, I join the boys to watch the rest of their movie and we put in another when that one is over. By the time the second movie is done, it's time to get started on the rest of dinner so they follow me into the kitchen and I teach them how to snap the stalks from the asparagus.

They happily work while I start peeling the potatoes and get them into the water. With the asparagus ready and the potatoes on, we have nothing to do but wait. So I decide to chat with the boys about Chicago.

"Hey, dudes, what do you think about going to Chicago this weekend?" I ask, looking between the two of them.

Seth immediately jumps up and down. "Yes, Daddy, yes! I wanna go!"

Jake looks at Seth with an unsure expression on his face. "What's Chi .. Chi … "

"Chicago is where Seth and I used to live," I explain, pronouncing Chicago slowly so understands.

"Oh." Jake wrinkles his forehead. "How we get there?"

"We go in a airplane!" Seth exclaims, happy as hell.

Jake shakes his head. "I never flied before."

"I flied with Unca Jay and we was way up there." Seth points to the ceiling.

Jake's eyes widen. "Really? You not scared?"

Seth shakes his head vigorously. "No way." Then points to his chest. "I a big boy."

Jake nods in agreement. "Yep, me too." He turns to me then. "Okay, let go to Cago then, Daddy. Mama, too?"

I smile and ruffle his hair. "Yeah, Mama, too." I squat down in front of him. "First you're going to have to go to the hospital and get some blood work done. Is that okay?"

He deflates a little. "I guess," he huffs.

"Hey, it's no big deal, buddy. Just like when you go to Dr. Cullen's office except you'll have to sit there a little longer. Remember when you did it when you were in the hospital?" I ask.

Understanding dawns on his little, mini-me face. "Oh, yeah. I member."

"Exactly, just like that. Then you'll be all cleared to fly to Chicago," I explain.

He just shrugs. "Okay then."

"That's my boy," I say, patting his shoulder as I stand back up.

"When we goin'?" Seth asks.

"This weekend," I tell him.

He holds his hands out. "When's that?"

I chuckle at his cute self. "That's four days away." I hold up four fingers.

Both boys fist pump. "Awesome," Jake says.

"Shoot yeah," Seth adds and I roll my eyes. I'm going to have to put a stop to that phrase before he gets my ass in trouble.

"Dude," I say, gaining his attention. "Do Daddy a favor and pleeeease stop saying that." My eyes beg him to agree.

"What?" he asks all innocent and shit.

"Shoot yeah. Mama doesn't like those words," I try to explain.

"Oh. Okay then. I stop saying it," he answers so simply that I have to wonder if it would've been this easy all along.

I chuckle. "Thanks, dude. Now let's get dinner ready for Mama."

.

.

A little while later, just after I've sent the boys to wash up, the front door opens and in walks Bella. Even from my position at the bar, I can see her strained expression. I immediately drop what I'm doing and go to her.

"Baby, what's the matter," I say as I approach, already holding my arms out for her to step into.

She moves her body into mine and allows me to envelop her in my strong embrace. Her arms go around my back and she holds me tighter for a second before pulling back to look at me.

She shakes her head. "There were reporters when I came out of my office today," she says quietly, concerned the boys might overhear.

My brows rise into my hairline before they purse together in anger. "What! Did you call Charlie? Did he have them removed? Are you okay, baby? Did they touch you?"

She places her palms on my cheeks and leans in to give me a peck on the lips. It lasts almost long enough to go deeper, but then she pulls away, leaving me breathless. "Calm down, Edward. Let me fill you in before you lose it." She chuckles at my panic. "It was just a small crew from a local station here in Seattle; they were decently respectful and seemed more interested in Jake's progress than the mistake by the hospital. I continued past them, but when the reporter asked about getting it out to the public to get tested, I thought I owed it to Jake to try. So I stopped and spoke with them for a couple of minutes. It wasn't a big deal, just so unexpected that I felt a little rattled afterward."

She's fine, they didn't harass her and she was able to get a message out there for Jake. Letting that all sink in, I take a deep breath and release it slowly. "All right, and you're sure you're okay?"

She gives me a small smile and another peck on my lips. "Even better now that I'm home with my guys." She looks around. "Where are they?"

I place my hand on my chest as if she's pained me. "Like a shot to the gut. Of course, it's just the little guys she misses."

"Oh, stop it," she says with a giggle. "You know I missed you, too."

"Yeah?" I raise a brow.

"Yeah," she responds quietly, her eyes telling me that she really did.

I step closer and place my hand on the nape of her neck, pulling her closer. "The boys are washing up."

"Oh."

"Come here," I say, my voice gruff with emotion.

I lean in and push my lips against hers. She immediately opens, thrusting her tongue inside to explore. We kiss slowly, just savoring the feel of being close after a long day apart.

Footsteps hammering on the stairs bring us back to the here and now and we slowly pull apart. She turns her attention to the other guys in her life.

Squatting down, she opens her arms and both run straight into them. "Hey, sweeties. I missed you today."

"I missed you, too, Mama," Seth tells her.

"Me, too," Jake adds. "And we goin' to Cago in four days." He holds up three fingers.

"We are?" she asks then glances to me.

"I'll give you the specifics later." I wink to let her know that all is well. We'd already discussed the trip, but knew we'd need approval for Jake to fly.

As we make our way to the table, Bella talks with the boys about flying in a plane while I start plating the food. We sit, eat and talk, and when the boys mention Jake having to go back to the hospital first, I explain what Carlisle wants us to do.

She wipes her face with a napkin. "Oh. His counts are low again?"

"Not low enough to warrant any symptoms, but if we intend to leave Seattle, he wants him to be one hundred percent, first," I explain.

She nods. "Okay, I'll take the time off and go with you, then."

I smile and nod because I never expected anything less.

These are the little things that make Bella Swan the perfect person for me.

She's compassionate, fierce and the most dedicated mother ever.

She's smart, independent, sexy and sensual.

She's mine.

And I think I more than _like_ her.

* * *

 **Ya think?**

 **See you Friday!**


	26. Unguarded Crossing

**Fran works her magic, but all mistakes are mine. Vampiregirl93, Michele, Judyblue and Lissa give me their comments.**

* * *

 **EPOV**

The flight to Chicago went well, despite boarding at five a.m. and Jake having never been on a plane. At first, he was excited, but as we took off, he became tense. Once we were in the air, though, he relaxed back into it and had fun looking out the window. All in all, it went fine and now he knows what to expect.

His transfusion also went as well as we expected. It fucking sucked to be around Dr. Prick and act all nice and shit, but you do what you do for your kids. I mean, even I have to admit that the fucker is good at his job and knows what he's talking about.

As we go through baggage claim, the excitement is bubbling through Seth. It's palpable. He can't wait to show Jake everything he can think of about his former home.

Yeah, I said former and it makes me a little nostalgic, but it is what it is. Bella and Jake are in Seattle and that's where Seth and I will be, too. And if sometime in the future they're willing to make a move to Chicago, then we'll be all for that, too.

"Look, Daddy. There comes my suitcase," Seth yells, pointing to the blue luggage making its way toward us.

I chuckle at his excited ass. "I got it, dude." I reach over and grab it off the conveyor and at the same time notice mine and Bella's coming up a little farther back.

"It gots my stuff, too," Jake points out.

"Yes, sweetie," Bella mollifies him. "It has both of your things in it. Just like Daddy's has mine and his things in it."

"You shared suitcases, too?" Seth asks with wide eyes. "Like me and Jake did?"

"Sure did, honey," she answers with a smile.

"Cool," he replies.

I just shake my head and finish grabbing our luggage. The boys grab the handle to theirs and roll it behind them, like the big boys they try to be. With Bella holding Seth's other hand and Jake's in mine, we start making our way out of the airport and to the parking terminal where Jay and Vic are waiting with my Volvo.

When we finally make it there, my brother immediately goes in for a bone-crushing hug. "Man, it's so good to see you," he says, slapping my back. Then he pulls back and props his hands on my shoulders. "Let me look at you."

I shrug his hands off and roll my eyes. "It's only been a few weeks, bro, dang."

He smirks and I know already he's going to say something stupid so I warn him with my eyes. Apparently he gets the hint because he leaves it cryptic. "Yeah, but so much has changed."

"Yeah, yeah," I shake my head and move to Vic, placing my hands on her even larger belly. "How you doing in there, sweet girl? Mom and Dad taking good care of you?"

Vic giggles and wraps her arms around my neck as best she can. "You know we are. It's so good to see you … all of you … here … together," she says lowly in my ear.

I squeeze her a little tighter to acknowledge her words and pull back, leaving a kiss on her cheek. She doesn't linger on me though; she heads straight for Bella, hugging the life out of her with huge smiles on both their faces. My own smile curls up in response.

Jay bumps my shoulder with his. "Look at you, man. Getting all happy and shit because your girl is hugging my wife." He leans closer and whispers, "Love." Then moves back and ignores my wide-eyed look.

Fuck! What is with these people and their pushing this love shit on me? I thought I was in love once before and I guess I was … sorta, but it taught me a lot and I'm never jumping headfirst into a situation like that again.

When … if?

I don't know, fuck!

One day, maybe I'll love her and when it happens, I'll shout it from the rooftops. But until then, where we are right now is perfect.

Besides, we just became a real couple.

"Come on, Daddy. I ready to show Jake my room," Seth yells a little too loudly while tugging on my shirt tail.

I tussle his hair. "All right, dudes. Let's load up," I announce to the boys.

I hit the unlock button and let Bella get the boys settled while I load our two bags in the trunk. After that's done, I walk to Vic, who's standing at the passenger side of their car. "So what's the plan?" she asks as I approach.

I have to stop and think about it before I can answer her. There's so much I want to do while we're here, so much to show Bella and Jake. But the most important thing is to speak with Jay and Vic, preferably in private.

Jay's standing with the driver's door open, arms propped on the roof of their car waiting for me to answer Vic. I sigh and run my hand through my hair. "It's pretty important that Bella and I speak with you two, alone, if possible, _and_ as soon as possible I think would be best."

Jay nods. "So tell us what you need, bro. Our boys are at home with Mom right now. You want us to follow you over to yours? Those two"―he nods to my back seat where Seth and Jake are sitting―"will probably be so wrapped up in Seth's room that they won't bother us for a little while."

I think about that for a minute and decide there's no time like the present. This is what we made the trip for, and frankly, I'm ready to get it out there and have them know what we're asking of them.

"Okay, let me go somewhere and get lunch on the way," I finally respond.

Jay immediately starts shaking his head. "No way, bro. You go get your family settled at your house and we'll get lunch, drop some by for our boys and see you at your house soon."

My shoulders sag in relief. I fucking love my brother. "Yeah, man, thanks. We'll see you shortly then."

He smirks and gives me the thumbs up before both he and Vic climb into their car and pull away. I watch them the whole time, thanking God I was blessed with the best brother ever.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

When we park in my garage, I turn the ignition off and take a deep breath. This is it, time to share my home with the people that really matter to me.

Seth breaks me from my thoughts. "Daddy, get us out. Come on, I wanna show Jake my stuff!" he rushes.

I turn and look to Bella only to notice she's giving me a soft, caring look. She fucking knows. She knows this is a big thing for me and she's willing to give me the few seconds I need to get myself together.

But Seth isn't. "Hurry up, Daddy!" he chants over and over. Soon Jake joins him and I let a smile spread over my face and climb from the car.

After unbuckling them both, I grab Bella's hand and lead them into my home. We enter through the mudroom that's right off the kitchen―my gourmet, top-notch kitchen with every gadget a chef would ever dream of owning.

Seth immediately grabs Jake's arm and starts tugging him toward the stairs. "Come on, let's go see my room."

"Hold up, Seth," I stop him. "Maybe you should show Mama your room, too." I lift my brow in her direction. She smiles in thanks and starts toward the boys.

While she's upstairs, I grab our bags from the car and bring them up. Stopping in Seth's room first, I drop their bag just inside the door. "Just leave this here," I say. "And Mama or I will unpack for you in a little while."

"Okay, Daddy," Seth answers. "Where Mama gonna stay?" he asks, holding up his little hands.

Bella's head snaps in my direction, her eyes wide. "I'm sure you have a guest room I can stay in," she answers him, not taking her eyes off me.

"But Jake shared my suitcase and he stay wif me. Why you not stay wif Daddy then?" he asks her.

And I have to smile because the kid has a point. But more than that, all her fears have been over what the boys might think and it seems they have a simple solution. At least Seth does anyway.

Bella is staring at me with a look that says, 'Answer him,' so I do. "You don't care if Mama stays with Daddy then?" I smirk at Bella's wide-eyed look.

"No, silly. Mamas and daddies posed to stay together," Seth answers with a shrug.

My brows rise. "Ah, okay. What about you, buddy? Do you care if Mama stays in my room?" I ask Jake, who's listening intently to mine and Seth's conversation.

He looks at Bella, then back at me. "I don't care if Mama sleep wif you." He shrugs and turns back to Bella with imploring eyes. "Do you want to Mama?"

Bella's eyes become slits for one second before she puts on a smile and turns to Jake. "I don't know, sweetie," she says through gritted teeth. "I haven't really thought about where I'll be sleeping."

"Oh," he says. "Well, I sleepin' wif Seth in here so you can stay wif Daddy."

"She sure can, buddy. I don't mind sharing my room one bit," I say in my most innocent voice while giving her the sexiest stare-through-you look I have in my arsenal. The one that makes chills race across her skin and hairs stand on end.

"Come on, Jake," Seth says. "Let's build a house." He calls him over to his Lego table, both of us forgotten.

"Come on, Bella." I hold out my hand. "Let me show you to our room."

She huffs, but then rolls her eyes and takes my hand. "You never do give up, do you?"

"Not when it's something worth the effort." I wink.

She squeezes my hand and places her lips close to my ear. "You're right, we are worth it."

With a nod in her direction, I smile and lead her to a place that I've never shared with another woman.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

With the boys settled in front of the TV, their food on the coffee table, and Bella, Jay, Vic and I surround the kitchen table, it's time we addressed what this trip was really about.

I'm nervous, but not. I know my brother and Vic will do anything in their power to help Jake, so I'm not afraid to ask them. It's just an emotional moment for me and saying the words aloud, actually posing the question, will change our whole reality.

My son has a cure and it's growing inside of Vic right this instant.

"So," Jay says, wiping his fingers on his napkin. "Spill." Straight to the point, that's my brother.

I put my burger down on my plate and grab Bella's hand, placing both of them on the table between us. "Okay, let me start by saying that we want you to consider what we're asking after you've heard us out. We want to give you the full story before you react."

Jay nods and looks to Vic, who's watching me with furrowed brows. "Is something the matter?" she asks.

I give her a reassuring smile. "No, Vic, nothing is wrong, but what I'm about to ask is a big question and I don't want you to feel obligated _because_ I'm asking." Then I shake my head. "No, fuck that, I do want you to say yes, but I also know you will." I reach over and squeeze her hands that are clasped in front of her. "Just hear us out and you'll see."

She nods, a concerned look still marring her brow. "Okay, go ahead then, Edward." She glances at our clasped hands. "You're making me anxious."

I blow out a deep breath and start talking.

I explain it all. Everything Carlisle said to me during Jake's visit last week. Vic has seven weeks until her due date, so we need to get the cord blood donation set up the sooner, the better. I can tell a couple times that one of them has a question, but I continue on, wanting them to have as much information as I can give.

By the time I'm at the end of my speech, Bella has my hand in a death-grip and both of our knuckles are turning white. I never thought about it before, but maybe some of her reservations over this not being Jake's cure, were from not knowing what Jay and Vic would say. Maybe, she was afraid they'd refuse. It makes so much more sense if I think about it like that.

I pull my hand from hers and wrap my arm around her shoulder, pulling her as close to me as possible. I can feel the nerves running through her body, and it makes me want to pull her into my lap. I had no fucking idea she was so anxious over this conversation.

She hid it well.

And I'm not sure how I feel about that.

On the one hand, it's my family, not hers so I can see where she'd be unsure, but that's what I'm for. Why didn't she talk to me about this? Doesn't she know that I'm here for her?

Jay clears his throat; bringing me out of my thoughts and making me focus my attention on him. "So Carlisle is sure that Leah is going to be a match?" He places his hand over Vic's considerable bump.

I nod slowly. "Yes, even if she isn't a perfect match, using cord blood allows for a certain degree of mismatch."

"And this is collected from the umbilical cord after delivery?" he asks, even though it's already been explained.

Again, I nod, swallowing thickly.

"And did you somehow think that we'd say no?" he asks, looking incredulous.

I squeeze Bella a little closer before answering him. "Not at all. But it is a huge question and some anxiety over your response was warranted."

"Some?" He snorts. "I'm sorry, bro, but Bella looks like she might pass out any minute."

I pull back and really look at her. She's deathly pale and sweat has broken out on her brow. My palm immediately goes to her cheek. "Baby, why didn't you tell me you were so afraid of their answer?"

She purses her lips and shakes her head.

I immediately start shaking mine firmer. "No, stop it." I push a curl behind her ear. "You should've talked to me about this. Besides them being my family, that's what I'm here for. I'm yours," I whisper softly, hurt that she's been terrified of this moment and I had no idea.

Tears start leaking from her eyes. "I'm sorry," she croaks. "I … I didn't want to count on something not knowing how they'd feel." Her eyes glance to where Jay and Vic are sitting, both with looks of concern on their faces.

Vic gets up and comes around the table, placing her hand on Bella's shoulder. "Oh, sweetie, we'd never deny our help. _Ever_ ," she stresses. "We'd do _anything_ in our power to help Jake."

Bella starts nodding and crying harder, burying her face in her hands. Vic glances at me, looking so sad that my heart breaks for them both. She then goes over to the sink to wet a towel and returns, offering it to me.

I pry Bella's hands from her face and tilt it up so I can soothingly rub the cloth over her tear-soaked cheeks. "Shh, Bella. It's all right."

I clean her face and pull her to me, where she buries her face in my neck and cries and cries and cries. All we can do is let her get it out. The hidden emotions have taken their toll and now that the moment is here, she can hold it no longer.

Her prayers have been answered.

Her fears have been relieved.

With one conversation, her world has been set right.

As her tears come to a close and she's left only sniffling, Jay gets up from his seat and comes to stand by his wife, who's looking on helplessly. My eyes warn him to take it easy as this was so unexpected even for me.

"Pfft," he blows me off. His hand reaches out and runs down Bella's head, stroking her mahogany hair. Then he leans closer to her. "Bella, honey. Come on, the least you could do is thank us," he says with a chuckle.

It's a joke and I can feel her laughter in my neck. I roll my eyes. Leave it to Jay to clear the air with one stupid sentence.

She finally raises her head and her red, teary eyes land on my brother. "Thank you, Jay"―then to my sister-in-law―"Vic, I don't know how I can ever repay you." Her eyes water again.

Vic steps closer and rubs down Bella's back. "I told you, sweetie. No need. Jake is our family too." Bella stands and hugs Jay first, then wraps her arms around Vic and they both hug with tears rolling down their cheeks, speaking quietly between themselves.

Jay rolls his eyes in their direction. "Women."

I chuckle at his dumbass, knowing he's trying to lighten the atmosphere. "Whatever, man."

"What?" he questions, with a shrug. "Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em."

When the women are done with their lovefest, I hand Bella her towel and grab one for Vic, passing it over. "Thanks, Edward." She smiles a teary smile.

"All right," Jay speaks up. "Enough of the sappy. Let's talk about what needs to be done."

So we do.

We agree to meet at the banking center Monday and try to do the paperwork before we go back home. With a plan in motion, Jay and Vic leave us so I can show Bella and Jake a little of Seth's home state and mine.

.

.

Later that night, Bella lies in my arms as she sleeps.

This was a day of anxiety that led to a huge relief and it took its toll on her emotionally. After the boys had been settled in Seth's bed for the night, we retired too―together for the first time.

We undressed quickly and crawled under the covers, where I silently assured her that her dreams came true today. She fell asleep in my arms, limbs tangled as close as she could get. As I run my fingers through her silky hair, her chest rising and falling with a steady beat, I can't help but think over today's events.

I think of Bella's shocked eyes when Seth asked her where she was going to sleep.

I think of Bella's smile when we drove down the Magnificent Mile.

I think of Bella's excitement as we walked the boys through Millennium Park.

I think of Bella's wonder as we rode to the top of the Sears Tower.

And then I think of the tears.

Bella's tears as she realized our son would have his cure.

And it's then that I _know_ …

I fucking love her.

* * *

 **Realization has landed!**

 **Any guesses on what's next?**

 **See you Thursday!**


	27. Dip

**Fran is my beta babe, but all mistakes are mine. Vampiregirl93, Michele, Lissa and Judyblue preread for me.**

* * *

 **Day 30**

 **BPOV**

I'm surrounded by a warm, fuzzy feeling as my mind lifts into consciousness. A soothing, feather-light touch caresses my face and along my hair almost lulling me back into the depths of sleep. When it registers what that feeling is, my eyes snap open to meet the morning with the bright, brilliant green of Edward's eyes.

We're lying cocooned together, chest to chest, face to face, inches apart. The softness of his expression causes a deep sigh to escape my lips before they lift in a timid smile. This is a first for us, sleeping together, and I have to admit, waking in his embrace with his eyes burning into me sends a flutter throughout my body.

"Morning," he says in a gruff, sleep-roughened voice, his hand never stops its circuit along my cheek and hair.

I lean close and place a chaste kiss on his lips. "Good morning."

A radiant smile fills his face. "Thank you."

I furrow my brow. "For what? I haven't done anything, Edward, just opened my eyes."

"For being here, with me, right now. For greeting me with a kiss instead of jumping up and running away. For just being you and being … perfect," he says in such a shy manner, that I have to wonder if my Edward was body snatched during the night.

I snuggle in closer and wrap my arms around him, tucking my head under his chin. "Where else would I be?" I ask quietly.

He continues rubbing his hand through my hair as he speaks. "I was worried you might wake up and regret sleeping with me. I know you've been worried and I sorta pushed the issue yesterday."

I giggle and the sound reverberates between our chests. "You did push the issue." I lean my face back to catch his eyes. "But I was only concerned for the boys' feelings. If they're fine with it, then why wouldn't I be?"

He closes his eyes for a second and when they reopen, they're sparkling. "I don't know, but I'm so fucking happy to have you here and know that you want to be." He nestles down and nudges my neck up so his lips can taste and glide along the skin there.

Goosebumps spread over my body and my fingers automatically grip his hair. A satisfied hum escapes his lips and I match it with a low moan of my own. His tender ministrations send shivers down my spine, making my breaths quicken.

He pulls back, breathing heavily. "Although I'd love nothing more than to show you the benefits of waking up together, the boys will be up any minute and I need to get breakfast started."

My nails scratch against his scalp, eliciting an almost purr. "And that's one of your most special qualities."

He chuckles. "That I cook?"

I roll my eyes and shake my head at his obtuseness. "No. That you love our boys more than you want to have sex." I punctuate it with a not so soft kiss.

He falls into it, deepening it further, before pulling back and allowing a smirk to rise on his lip. "It's true, but fuck, Bella, a man can only take so much." He kisses me again, softer this time. "You can't be tempting me so blatantly right now." He presses into me, all of him hard and ready against me.

My leg wraps around his thigh, pulling him closer. We writhe against each other our bodies so in tune that they need no guidance. "Goddammit, baby. Please, we have to stop," he begs, his voice gravelly. "You don't want to ruin our first morning with the boys catching us like this, do you?"

"No, they can't," I moan, unable to stop my body from trying to get more friction.

"Fuuuckkk," he grunts and thrusts against me harder. "Bella, see what you do to me? You drive all reason from my mind. You make me want to forget that the rest of the world exists." His lips close over mine and his body presses me deeper into the bed, his weight pushing down.

The sound of a door closing down the hall ends all of our movement. We both freeze in our spots, deer-in-the-headlight looks adorn our faces. Then laughter bubbles up and bursts forth from Edward. It's carefree and boisterous.

"I knew you'd get me in trouble this morning," he says, pecking my lips before rolling to his back and draping his arm across his eyes.

"Me," I say affronted, smacking his chest.

He grabs my hand, holding it to him. "Yes, you. You're way too tempting for your own good."

Just then, Edward's bedroom door slowly creeps open. "Mama, Daddy, you awake," Seth whisper-yells into the room.

Edward chuckles again and sits up a little. "Yeah, dude, we're awake."

"Come on, Jake. Theys awake," he says as he starts pitter-pattering his way across the room, Jake hot on his heels.

Both of them waste no time crawling right up the bed to land on top of us both. "Dude, easy on Daddy," Edward says to Seth, catching a wayward foot in his hand and cringing back.

I laugh and pull Jake close for his morning hugs. "Did you sleep well in Seth's bed, sweetie?" I ask him softly.

He starts nodding fervently. "I did, he gots a cool night light. Can I have one like that?"

"You sure can, dude," Edward answers for me, leaning over to give Jake his morning head ruffle.

Jake dives his way, and again, Edward has to twitch away from probing limbs. "Jeesh, guys. You're out to get me this morning, huh?" he asks Jake, who just stares at him, having no idea what he means.

I laugh louder this time. "Come on, boys. Let's go find you something to wear today while Daddy gets up and starts breakfast."

I'm already rising from the bed when a hand clasps over mine pulling me back down. "Oh, no you don't. Get her boys. Let's cover Mama in morning kisses." Edward laughs and eggs the boys on until all three of them are kissing me all over my face and I can do nothing but squirm and giggle.

Best. Morning. Ever.

Finally, they release me from their clutches, and my sides burn from laughing so much. The look Edward gives me is pure joy. I almost feel melancholy for the missed moments like these I could've had were I not so stubborn. But now that I do have them, I'll latch on to every single one and hold them close.

"Come on, dudes. Let's go to the kitchen and let your Mama recover," Edward tells the boys with a wink in my direction. He takes them by their hands and leads them from the room.

I lie there catching my breath and reveling in the amazement of this beautiful morning.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

After a morning of sight-seeing around Chicago, we finally make our way to Vic and Jay's house. The boys are in their car seats clamoring about seeing Joseph and Jared again. We reminded them that they will see their grandparents, too, and all that made them think of were presents.

That makes me sad. Is this how Beth and Ed have established themselves in their grandchildren lives? By buying their love? It's not something I'm very comfortable with and I hope I can somehow bridge their relationship with our sons to make it better.

After parking in their driveway, Edward unbuckles the boys and walks over to grab my hand as we approach the front door. Seth doesn't even bother knocking, he just barges right in.

"Seth," I try to call after him. "Sweetie, wait." He stops and turns to me. "You can't just open the door and walk right in someone's house," I say grabbing his arm to keep him from entering farther.

"Why not, Mama?" He shrugs. "I go in here all the time wifout knocking."

And I don't even have an answer to that. How do you explain the difference between staying at someone's house, coming and going, and visiting to a three-year-old? I look to Edward for help, his eyes twinkle with amusement.

"It's okay, baby. Seth always just goes on in when we come here," he assures me.

"Yeah, but he can't just lead Jake and all of us into their house this way without knocking," I protest.

Edward cups my cheeks and glances to the boys. "Go on in, Mama and I will be right behind you." He turns back to me and places a kiss on my lips. "Bella, this is my family, their family, _your_ family. We're at home here. Don't ever think that you're just a visitor, not when it comes to Jay and Vic, okay? You're family to them, got it?"

I'm so caught up in his words that I can only nod dumbly at him. He smiles and kisses me again, more softly this time. "Now come on, let's go see what _our_ family is up to." And just like that, he's rendered me a puddle of goo.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

Vic reaches over and rubs my arm. "Are you really okay after yesterday?" she asks in a concerned voice.

The men are inside catching up while Beth, Vic and I sit out back, watching the boys play in the yard. I don't know how she's surviving out in this heat with her stomach so round, but she insists she comfortable with her little squirt-bottle-with-a-fan-contraption in her hand.

I think over my answer and nod. It still feels almost surreal to me. Somehow, someway, the nightmare I've been facing finally has a light at the end of the tunnel. It's so easy to forget he's sick right now with the way the transfusions build him back up, but I know, all too well what would happen if he didn't receive those.

I finally nod my answer. "Yeah, Vic. It's just so overwhelming. I mean, Edward told me that you'd never say no, but I guess in the back of my mind I didn't believe he could be so sure. I had no idea asking you would lead to such a breakdown, though. I'm sorry."

"Sweetie, there's nothing to be sorry for. That's your baby and he's sick, you're entitled to melt down any damn time you want. Got that?" she asks, but it's more of an insistence.

"I second that, honey," Beth speaks up from beside Vic. "I'm surprised you've held up as well as you have with all you've faced. Not only did you learn that your baby was sick, but then on top of that you learned he wasn't even yours. I don't know if I'd even be functioning if it were me."

My stomach clenches with just the mention of those days. "There were a few dark days, each one worse than the one before. Honestly, I'm not sure how I made it through either. I guess it was having people I love there to support me. Also, the drive to do whatever it took to cure my son made it easier to accept. He might've had matches out there in that other family"―I point to them―"your family, and I needed to find them … you, in order to help my son. I wanted to pick him up and run screaming, but I couldn't, and that's what's kept me grounded this whole time. Saving Jake was my priority, my primary focus. And now … now it's like I can breathe again."

Vic has a few tears falling down her cheek and she immediately grips me in a bone-crushing hug. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that, but look what it's brought you … us. All of us. Our lives are more complete than they've ever been. It was a miracle in disguise." She almost bawls into my shoulder as she says this, but her words ring true.

I wouldn't change anything about my life today even if I could. Jake will have his cure and never have to worry about being sick again. He's gained a brother, father and a completely new family. Our lives have been enriched beyond my wildest imagination.

I hug Vic closer and allow a few tears of my own to fall. Tears of happiness, tears of fulfillment, tears of joy. Tears shared with a hormonal mother, who's carrying my son's cure inside of her.

Beth finally breaks up our cry-fest by enclosing her arms around the both of us for a minute and then drawing back with a sniffy chuckle. "All right, girls, enough of this. Let's talk about the good stuff." Her eyes zero right on mine. "Tell us about you and my son." She smirks with tear stained cheeks.

I can't help but smile at just the mention of Edward. "Edward is, well, he's Edward." I chuckle. "He's persistent and determined and he was right all along." I look down to my lap. "I can't believe I held out so long by being so stubborn."

Vic places her fingers on my chin and lifts. "None of that. It didn't hurt that man one bit to have to work for it. Besides, the longer the wait, the better the reward." She smiles so brilliantly that I can't help but smile in return.

"If you say so," I half-heartedly agree. "But remember that I tortured myself along the way as well. And trust me, resisting that man was pure torture."

Vic throws her head back and laughs loud and boisterously. When she's calmed down she looks back at me. "Yeah, but come on, Bella. You did it right, girl. You had him taking care of you, the boys and your needs. I'd say that's a home run for just a co-parenting gig."

"I knew when we visited that my boy was head over heels," Beth chimes in, still smirking at me.

I clear my throat. "Uh, I don't think head over heels is exactly where we are, Beth." I push a stray strand behind my ear. "We're definitely together―something that just happened this week I might add, but we're just finding our way."

"Pfft, please." Vic rolls her eyes. "You two are so obtuse." She squeezes my knee. "But that's okay, you'll figure it out."

Figure it out? We've barely just begun, it's too early to make expectations. Right now, we're together and happy with our progress. No need to put more pressure on us than need be. I nod to myself, feeling confident that I know exactly where we are and that we'll find that future together, in our own time.

I give them both a genuine smile. "We'll get where we're supposed to be―in our own time," I add to let them know it's up to us to make it work and no amount of prodding will change things.

Vic gives me a knowing smile while Beth just turns to check on the boys with that sly smirk still curling her lips.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

"So I take it from all the hand holding that's going on between you two, that you've made yourselves a couple?" Ed asks us just as we're finishing up the delicious dinner Edward had delivered from _Bleu_ , the restaurant where he previously worked.

Edward stiffens a little, but with a small rub of his arm and a smile, he relaxes and turns to his dad. "Yeah, Dad, we are together. Not that it's any of your business, though." There's still a small bite to his voice, but there's also pride.

He's proud to call me his girlfriend and I feel the same.

So many wasted days, weeks, I could've had this man fully, and now that I do, there's no shame to be found, no obstacle we can't overcome, nothing that will tear us apart. Not even a stiff like Edward's father.

He raises a brow at Edward. "Are you sure that's wise, son? I hope this time you'll remember to get a prenup."

Edward's whole body goes rigid beside me, his face turns red, his knuckles go white from the grip he has on his napkin. I wipe my mouth and take his hand in mine, opening it up and twining my fingers through his, he relaxes minutely.

I clear my throat. "Ed, I'm sure your heart is in the right place, but this is a conversation to be held in private between you and Edward. It is _not_ an exchange for the dinner table in front of your intelligent grandchildren." My eyes cut toward the kids. "I have no qualms with your concerns, but you're getting ahead of yourself and us. Only we can decide our future and we'd appreciate it if you would just butt out until you know there's cause for this type of conversation." I level him with steady eyes to make sure he understands that I mean every word I just spoke.

Edward's body relaxes at my side and he squeezes my hand. "What she said, Dad." He looks around the table at all of his family. "We love you all, but please, for all that's holy, butt-the- fu-fudge-out." He gives each one a pointed look.

Jay, never one to stay silent, bursts into a fit of laughter. "What a pair you two are. This is going to be fun to watch unfold." He rubs his hands together in front of him.

Vic smirks at me then chastises her husband. "Oh, stop it, honey. Let them figure it out … in their own." She gives me a pointed look.

I catch her eye and allow my hair to fall, creating a curtain between Edward and me. He doesn't miss anything, though, and eyes me curiously. He brings his hand up and pushes my hair behind my ear to get a better look at my face.

I meet his eyes.

"Look at them, though," Jay says from across the table. "All googly-eyed and stuff."

"What's googly-eyed mean, Unca Jay?" Seth asks.

I snap my eyes from Edward's and turn to glare at Jay, before speaking to Seth. "That's just Uncle Jay being silly, sweetie."

Jared speaks up then. "People who are in love get googly-eyed." He makes a kissy face after he explains his version of what googly-eyed means.

"Oh," Seth says with a shrug of his shoulders as he shoves his last bite of dessert in his mouth.

But, oh no, that's not the end of this conversation.

It's Jake's turn to chime in. "Well, my Daddy does love us," he says simply.

I smile at his sweet self and am so happy that he knows Edward loves him. "Daddy sure does love you, sweet boy, he loves you both so much," I say, so filled with emotion.

Jake shakes his head. "No, Mama. Daddy loves _us_." He points to himself and then me. "He loves me _and you_. He told me so."

Jay's laughter reverberates throughout the room.

My brows rise into my hairline before snapping my eyes to Edward.

His face has gone pale and he's looking down at his plate, refusing to look at me.

I swallow the unease from Edward's reaction, my own eyes focusing on my uneaten dessert.

Of course, he'd tell Jake he loved us both. That's the only logical thing to do, I'd have done the same.

Still, there's a pang rising in my chest.

A pang of disappointment.

* * *

 **Hmmm … disappointment?**

 **Surely you saw that coming, right?**

 **See you Wednesday!**


	28. Steep Descent

**Fran is my beta babe, but all mistakes are mine (lowercase band-aid, all me). Lissa, Judyblue, Michele and Vamporegirl93 give me confidence to post.**

* * *

 **Day 30 still**

 **EPOV**

 _Shit!_

 _Fuck!_

 _Shit!_

 _Fuck!_

 _FUCK!_

I stare down at my plate unsure what the fuck to do. I just fucking figured out that I _do_ love her and now I've been put on the spot in front of the whole family. This is something that I'm supposed to choose to say … when I'm ready.

 _What the fuck am I going to do now?_

My brother's laughter is grating on me so bad that I finally look up and level him with a glare that would stop anyone else cold. All he does is chuckle harder.

Fucking asshole.

I allow my eyes to land on Bella. She's staring down at her plate with her fork in her hand, pushing her food around. Oh, God, I'm fucking this up so much, but I don't know what to do.

 _Am I ready to admit the truth?_

 _Right here, right now in this room?_

 _I'm not._

 _I can't._

My lips won't open and my tongue is stuck to the roof of my mouth. My whole self is somehow rejecting saying the words ―aloud, right now, in this room of people. So I do what I can to patch it up, put a band-aid on until I can fix it altogether.

"Dudes, you about finished with dessert?" I ask, looking to the boys across the table.

"Yeah, Daddy, I done," Seth answers, pointing to his empty plate.

"I don't want no more," Jake says.

I wipe my face with my napkin and finally turn to Bella. "How about you?"

She starts to answer but stops to clear her throat first. "Sure, I'm stuffed."

She smiles, but it doesn't reach her eyes. Her whole demeanor is downtrodden and I can't help but wonder if she hoped for even a second that it was true. It _is_ true, but not now, not here. I don't know if she's ready.

I don't know if _I'm_ ready.

I look at my still smirking brother; the gleam in his eyes makes me want to slap him stupid. "Thanks for dinner, but I think we're about to head out." I turn to Vic. "A pleasure as always." I smile and then look to my parents. "Good to see you again, Mom. Dad, I hope you'll think long and hard about what kind of future you want with my family."

He gives me a curt nod as I rise from my chair and hold out my hand, hoping Bella will accept. "Boys, go gather the toys you brought over and we'll meet you in the living room." Her hand slides into mine and my whole body sighs at the contact.

Jay and Vic both rise from their seats to walk us into the living room while the boys take off upstairs to Jared's room to get their things.

Vic comes straight over to Bella as soon as we stop walking, snatching her away from me and into her arms for a long hug. There's whispering and head shakes going on between them and I can only imagine why.

Jay reaches over and hooks his elbow around my neck, pulling me closer. I stand stiff for a second, still pissed at his dumb ass, before giving in and hugging the shit out of my brother. I love this stupid motherfucker no matter how much his ribbing pisses me off, and I'm going to miss him.

"Just tell her," he says lowly in my ear. "She loves you, too, bro."

I try to shake my head in the confines of his death grip, but am unsuccessful. "I am. Chill the fuck out, man. I just needed time to let it sink in, ya know?"

He pulls back and looks at me. "So you're finally admitting it then?"

I scrub my hand through my hair and give a small nod. "Yeah, just last night actually."

His eyes go wide. "Damn, bro, then when did you tell the kid?"

I roll my fucking eyes because that's a clusterfuck of a story. "Later, man." I tilt my head to where the women are ending their little pow-wow.

I open my arms and with tears in her eyes, Vic walks straight into them. "We'll meet you in the morning at the cord banking center, nine o'clock."

"I know, Vic, we'll be there." I hug her close and pull her back so I can see her eyes. "And thank you."

Then she rolls hers. "Nonsense, Edward. See you there."

I look over to Bella and can tell she's shed a few tears, too. Beckoning her over, I pull her close and tuck her under my arm, trying to offer my silent comfort.

We have idle chit chat for a few more minutes before the boys are stomping down the stairs, toys in hand. "We gots 'em, Daddy. Ready to go?" Seth asks coming to stand beside us.

I ruffle his hair because he's just too cute. "Sure are, buddy. Let's go."

We proceed to the car and make the ride back to my house where Bella immediately takes them up to my master bath for a swim in the 'big tub' as Seth likes to call it. When they're out, Jake hollers from the top of the stairs for me to come read to them. I chuckle and go to my little dudes.

When I get to their door, I stop and take in the sight of Bella tucking the covers tightly around them and giving them both goodnight hugs and kisses. When she's done, she hands them the book and stands to make her way to where I'm standing.

She gives me a small smile. "They're all yours."

I grab her hand, stopping her from just walking right by and lean my lips close to her ear. "Wait up for me?" I ask, then run my tongue along her lobe.

She shivers and steps away, not actually meeting my eyes. "Sure, see you when you're done." She turns and walks out the bedroom door, leaving me to watch her go, my heart thumping in my chest just thinking about the conversation we need to have.

"Daddy," Seth whines. "Are you gonna read to us? _Green Eggs and Ham_ again?"

I chuckle and make my way over to the bed. "If that's what you want me to read, then yeah, I am. What about you, Jake? Is that what you want, too?"

He nods vehemently. "Uh huh, that's Seth's favorite book. And we not have _Wild Things_ here wif us."

"No problem." I ruffle both their hair. "I love you guys."

"You googly-eyed us then?" Seth asks me and I want to throttle Jay.

I sigh. "No, dudes, I only googly-eyed Mama, but I do love you."

"Why you googly-eyed Mama and not us?" Jake asks, holding his hands up.

"See," I start, "it's different. You two are my dudes, I love you and always will. But I love Mama differently. Like, she's … " _Fuck, this is hard_. "She's like my girlfriend, and one day I'll even want to marry her," I say as I scrub my hand through my hair, knowing that I'd ask her tomorrow if I wasn't afraid she'd turn me down.

Seth gasps, which causes Jake's eyes to snap to look at him. "What, Seth?" he asks.

"Daddy wanna marry Mama," he says, fist pumping like he's been waiting all his life to hear that.

I hold my hands out in front of me, remembering who I'm talking to here. That'll be the next cat they let out of the bag. "Whoa, hold up. I said, _someday_. I'm not so sure Mama's ready for that right now," I explain. "So listen to me." I make eye contact with both of them. "You can't go saying that Mama and Daddy are gonna get married, okay? Because until I ask Bella to marry me, we aren't. And I'll promise right now, that when I do, you two can help." They both get huge smiles on their faces. "But only if you can keep it a secret. Okay?"

Both of them nod their heads up and down in big, exaggerated motions. "I promise, Daddy," Seth says.

"Me too, Daddy," Jake agrees. "We won't say nothin'."

I take a deep breath of relief and hope the little buggers don't throw me under the bus … again.

"Okay, dudes, hand it over." I crawl in the bed and lay back beside them, opening the book to start reading. They cuddle down, sleepy eyes already drooping.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

When I enter my bedroom, the sight before me brings me up short. Bella's sitting, propped against the headboard, her hair piled atop her head, reading a book. She might just be the most beautiful woman I've ever laid eyes on … or it could just be me, but either way, I'm stunned silent and standing stock still, admiring.

When I've had my fill, I clear my throat to get her attention. She jumps and drops the book into her lap, her eyes landing on mine.

A timid smile curves her lips. "How long have you been standing there?" she asks softly, twirling a stray hair in between her fingers.

I relax into my position against the wall, hands in my pocket. "A while."

Her brows furrow. "Why didn't you come on in?"

I smirk. "I am in, Bella. I was enjoying the view from over here."

She busies herself putting her bookmark in and placing it on the nightstand, avoiding my eyes the whole time. I wait patiently. I'm not going to push this, make a mistake. I'm going to take it easy and make sure she's comfortable with me and hopefully I can gauge her possible reaction.

When she has nothing more to occupy herself and I still haven't taken my eyes from her, she finally looks at me. I see uncertainty reflected back at me and it cracks my heart in two. I did this. I should've just admitted it earlier.

 _Is that what she's waiting for?_

 _Is she waiting for me to say it?_

 _Is she waiting for me to deny it?_

I sigh and push myself from the wall, approaching her slowly. She still doesn't speak, only watches me approach, silently studying me. It feels as if she's searching me for something to tell her what's coming.

I'm afraid.

Fucking terrified.

I'm petrified that I'm moving too fast and fearful that I'm not moving fast enough.

I can only share my heart and hope that she doesn't smash it to pieces. I hope that she cradles it close and embraces what I'm offering. Because I'm baring it all, giving her all that I have. All that I am.

I sit on the bed beside her legs and reach up to cup her cheek. "Why do you look so unsure, Bella?" I ask softly.

She closes her eyes for a second and when she reopens them, they're a little glassy, as if she's holding back tears. She pulls her lips tighter over her mouth and shakes her head back and forth.

I slide closer, bringing my other hand up to cup both cheeks. When she's face to face with me, I see a tear leak from her eye. "Baby," I say, wiping it way with my thumb. "What's the matter? Why are you upset?"

She tries to look away, but I won't allow it. She's hurting and I did this. I know that this reaction, in this minute, is all my fucking fault. "Please, baby. Don't cry," I soothe, wiping each tear that falls. "I did this, didn't I? I'm the reason you're crying."

She tries to vehemently shake her head, but I tighten my grip. "Stop it. Don't keep denying it, I hurt you earlier. I know I did."

"It's not your fault," she insists. "I don't know what's wrong with me."

I dry the last of her tears and lean in to press my lips to hers for a quick connection. I need to feel the hum that runs through us when we're together. It starts with our lips and moves throughout my body, zipping and zapping along the way.

I press my forehead to hers. "I know what I did, baby, and I'm sorry. I never―ever―meant to make you feel this way." I allow a smile to form on my lips. "But the thing is, seeing you like this, let's me know that you're ready to hear me … to accept my words and maybe even return them soon."

She tries to pull back, but I hold our foreheads together. I want to be this close and staring into her eyes with my sincerity shining for her to see. "No, baby," I say shaking my head. "Look into my eyes and listen to my words."

I wait until she gathers herself and her eyes pierce into mine before speaking again. "Bella," I say, my voice cracking. "You mean everything to me. I … I love you."

Her eyes widen, but I keep her there, I need her to see that it's true, that she is my all. She blinks rapidly and ever so slowly leans closer. Her lips press against mine.

This kiss is the one I've been waiting my whole life for. Even though she hasn't said the words, they're coming through loud and clear.

Bella loves me, too.

I slide my hand to the back of her neck and pull her closer, delving my tongue deeper. She eagerly crawls into my waiting lap. Our tongues continue to slide, slow and sensual against each other. When she's had her fill, she pulls back and pushes her forehead back against mine.

"I love you, too, Edward," she pants against my lips.

When I go to kiss her again, she shakes her head. "No, let me finish. I hadn't even considered it, but when Jake said what he did, and you acted that way, it hurt so badly. I knew then that the only reason I felt such hurt was because I was in love with you."

I chuckle because what a pair we are. "Baby, you have no idea. I just realized it last night and then Jake's gonna go and bust me out like that; I was stunned stupid. I'm so fucking sorry."

"Shhh, it's okay, Edward," she soothes.

I shake my head. "Not really, Bella. I … uh … told him that earlier in the week, it was before I even realized it, but he asked me and I … I couldn't tell him no. But now, the more I think about it, I know"―I press a kiss to her lips―"it was true … even then. And now I want it all. Every piece you're willing to give me."

The corners of her lips curve up ay my confession. "I understand, Edward," she says. "I wouldn't expect anything less from you." She moves closer, placing her hand on my jaw. "And I want it all, too. Everything you're offering." She pushes her lips to mine and it's heaven, pure bliss.

When we pull apart, I scour my brain for that exact moment, the one where I fell in love with her. In every thought, I realize, I already was.

At the family barbeque, I was.

That first night in her bed, I was.

When we came home from the hospital, I was.

I think back even further, and chuckle, deep and throaty. "You know, I believe I've loved you since your palm connected to the side of my face if I'm really being honest."

She looks down and away from my eyes for the first time since I spoke those three magical words. I lift her chin. "Hey, what's with that? Why are you looking away from me?"

"I shouldn't have slapped you. That was wrong of me. I'm sorry," she whispers.

I rub my thumb across her lips before leaning down and capturing them with mine. The kiss is slow and sensual, leisurely and frantic. It's the two of us saying what needs to be said without words.

" _You never have to apologize for protecting our son, even if it's from me."_

" _I'll never do it again, I promise."_

With our lips still fused, I slide my hand under her shirt and slowly guide it up her ample curves. We break apart, panting and gasping, as I slip it over her head. Underneath is nothing but a minuscule pair of navy, lacy panties. My clothes join the quickly growing pile.

I lift us together and guide her up the bed, sitting back to take her in. It's like I'm seeing a different person tonight. Bella's always been sexy as hell, but it's as if tonight, I'm looking through love-colored-glasses.

Her skin is glowing and her eyes shine, her smile lights up the room and my heart beats double time. I swallow and run my tongue over my lips to quench them, she's rendered me immobile, I'm unable to look away.

Her legs encase me with their warmth, pulling me to her. I snap from my love-induced haze and get to work. Starting at her ankles, I knead and caress my way up every inch of her long, luscious limbs. When I reach the juncture of her thighs, I only allow the lightest brush against her already soaked panties, over and over and over.

She's restless beneath my palms, twitching and writhing below me. I lean down and close my mouth over her wetness, blowing my hot breath against her.

She moans, low and long.

My fingers hook and pull, she's naked before me. I sit back on my haunches and stare at the beauty only I can see. Not being able to stop myself, I fist my cock, pumping once, twice, and again.

Small hands push larger ones away and wrap themselves around me. I groan as soon as they make contact, the sensations running through me intensify with her touch. Up, down, squeeze. I have to grit my teeth to keep from grabbing her and slamming into her.

I cover her hand with mine and pull it away even though it both makes me sigh in relief and kills me at the same time. Laying her back, I cover her body with mine.

Fingers twine beside her head.

Hard steel meets slick, wet softness.

Tongues dance and twirl, twist and push.

Our bodies already know each other so well, but this is something new, something wonderful. It's the linking of our hearts and minds, of souls and breaths. We're becoming one with each other, a whole.

I lift up and stare into her eyes as I slide in, all the way in, the connection is complete. Sighs escape our lips moans build in our throats.

I pull back and start a pace.

A pace that joins us as lovers.

A pace signaling the end of a longing.

A pace that starts a burn; makes us sweat and pant.

A pace filled with love

Eyes burn into each other and hands grasp and cling.

I lean down and nuzzle her neck. "I fucking love you, Bella. I love our kids and I love our family. I'm yours. I belong to you all. Pease say you'll keep me."

She moans. "God, Edward. We're yours, we're all yours." She meets my eyes. "I'll never let you go."

Our pace builds.

In and out,

Back and forth.

"Edward," she pants. "Plea―"

I swallow her pleas with my mouth as she flutters around me.

Releasing her lips, I pull back and meet her eyes as I let go.

Spent and filled with more than I ever thought possible, I cradle her close.

"I love you, Bella."

"And I love you."

* * *

 **Well, they're in love :)**

 **Hang on tight!**

 **See you Tuesday!**

 **I posted a OneShot on my profile if you're interested. Read at your own risk!**


	29. Sharp Right Turn

**Fran is my beta queen, but all mistakes are mine cause I tweak. Lissa, Judyblue, Michele and Vampiregirl93 pre-read for me.**

* * *

 **Day 34**

 **EPOV**

We arrived back in Seattle late Monday night after a morning of paperwork at the cord banking center. Well, mostly for Jay and Vic, but since Jake is the intended recipient, there were some forms for Bella to sign as well.

And that fucking hurt.

Even though she's always been his legal guardian, and I've been Seth's, I felt it keenly when my name didn't need to be on those papers too.

I mean, sure we could go through legal actions and have those rights established, but it seems like a lot to do. Especially when there's another way we could do it just as easily.

Marriage.

Yeah, I fucking said it.

So what?

Of course, I'd never marry Bella just for legal rights to my son, but I want her. I want it all. I want this family to be real. And it's not as if we aren't already, but I mean real in the realest sense of the word.

And maybe I'm getting ahead of myself―ahead of us. Maybe we're not ready, maybe we shouldn't be ready. Maybe I'm moving too fast, but I don't care. I can't care because I want this. I want it so fucking bad.

I want to be a husband to her, I want her to be my wife. I want us to make this family complete. I want Masen to be everyone's last name. I want so much, and I'm not afraid to reach for it.

Does it seem too soon?

Maybe to other people―maybe to Bella, but not to me.

I love her, I love my boys, I want her, I want more kids with her. It's as simple as that. I need her. I ache for her to be mine in every way. And marriage is that final step.

Now, how to convince her.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

 **Day 40**

Days are flying by and things are falling into place. With a couple of stops and a few phone calls, everything is coming together. It's amazing what throwing money around can get accomplished.

I've even gone so far as to speak with a lawyer in terms of legalizing our relationships with the boys through marriage. Since neither have the other parent in their lives and sole custody resides with each of us, it won't be more than a step-parent adoption procedure. I've already had him obtain paperwork for both Bella and me, so as soon as the marriage certificate is in hand, the process can begin.

Which brings me to the big thing―asking Bella.

I'm stuck.

I don't know what approach to take. Do I get down on one knee? Do I ask her after fuck-hot sex? Do I take her for a romantic dinner, then ask? Do I have the boys do it for me since they're so good at spilling secrets?

And then the all too real fear that she'll reject me rears its head. Can I handle it if she's not ready? Will I be able to say okay and wait her out? Should I try to talk her into it if she has reservations?

Knowing I need advice, I call my brother. "Yo, man, haven't you had enough of me lately?" he answers the phone already talking.

I chuckle because he can always find a way to make things seem better, in some cases without even trying. "I could never get enough of you, you know that."

"Uh, oh," he observes. "There must be a reason for this call, judging by the tone of your voice."

"Fuck, man, you know me so well," I say. "Yeah, there's a reason. A fucking big one actually. You might quite literally think I'm off my rocker when you hear what I'm up to."

"Do tell." His voice is excited by the prospect of some good gossip, only that isn't what this is. This is my life, and I'm in deep.

"Well, uh … you see …"

"Spit it out, Edward. Whatever the hell it is, just tell me," he demands.

"I want to _askBellatomarryme_ ," I spew out really fast.

He laughs. "Slow down, man, because that sounded like you said you want to ask Bella to marry you."

"I did say that."

The line is silent.

"Jay?"

"I'm here. Wow. Bear with me, I'm sorta stunned right now," he finally says.

"Yeah, I know. How do you think I feel?" I laugh uneasily. "I mean, one minute I realize I'm in love with her and the next, I realize I want to spend the rest of my life with her."

"Okay," he starts, "I expected this anyway. Just not this soon. Something new happen?" he asks.

"Actually, it was last Monday ... at the banking center." I scrub my hand through my hair, trying to come up with the right words. "It fucking hurt to realize that I wasn't a part of any of the legal aspects. And I know that's beside the point because he's mine and always will be, but it made me think … really think, ya know?"

"Yeah, man, I do know." He sighs. "You two are perfect for each other, it's obvious. You did tell her that you love her, though, right?"

I smile because she loves me too. "Yeah, I did and she loves me back."

"Fucking duh," he scoffs. "So what's the problem then? What do you need me to tell you?"

"I sort of, uh … well, I booked the wedding already." There I said it. "And I want to invite you, Vic and the kids."

"Okay," he drags out. "I'm sure we wouldn't miss your wedding. Is there a catch? Why do you sound so nervous about telling me all this?"

"Well, it's a destination wedding," I explain.

"Again, not a problem," he retaliates.

"For next weekend."

I finally spit out what has me so worked up and my stomach in knots.

He starts laughing, loudly, right into the receiver. "Come on, man. Stop fucking with me."

I take a deep breath and let it out with a growl. " _I'm not fucking with you."_ He abruptly stops laughing, so I continue. "I booked a wedding for next weekend and … well, I haven't even asked her to marry me yet. I want it to be a surprise."

"A surprise," he sputters. "Are you fucking crazy?"

"Either incredibly stupid or the most romantic fucker ever," I deadpan.

"Okay, I'm going with stupid, but I guess Bella gets to be the judge of that. So what do you need from me?" he asks.

"I want you there, I want our closest family members there to share it with us," I explain. "I know Vic can't fly past thirty-six weeks, so I rushed it a little more than I would have, but I also want it done before the transplant. And Vic's pregnancy and the transplant go hand in hand now."

"Ah, I see. So tell me what to do," he says.

So I do, I explain exactly what I've planned so far.

Our destination fits this family perfectly. In the future, when Jake is healed, we'll work on a private honeymoon, but for now, this is a family affair. One that is a celebration of us all, not just Bella and me.

In choosing this venue, I had to speak with Carlisle, so along with the invite for him and Esme to join us―if she says yes―we also made arrangements for another transfusion this Friday. I've planned for us to leave Wednesday, and the ceremony to take place three days later―on Saturday.

Yeah, I'm really fucking pushing it.

All Bella will have to do, is talk with the wedding coordinator about colors and find her dress. That's easy enough, right? I can get the boys and me some tuxes, no problem. I think I've come up with something she'll adore, or at the very least, the thought behind it.

When I'm finished, he's silent for a second. "You still there?" I question when he doesn't say anything.

"So this isn't just a thought in your head, you've actually made plans and booked shit, huh?" he asks finally.

I fucking sigh, because yeah, I've made fucking plans. Except for the most important thing. "Yeah, I booked the whole shebang. But … I still have to ask her. What if she turns me down?" I hope like hell he can convince me she won't.

He blows a breath into the phone. "Damn, man, I wish I could say she'll definitely say yes, but you two are so oblivious to everything that everyone else has seen for a while. Will she enjoy being surprised with a wedding two days away? I'm not sure, but I know that's where you're headed. Even if this doesn't go over well, just regroup and wait, enjoy your vacation. Your and Bella's day will come."

"So you'll come? I'll book you for Friday and Saturday night," I confirm.

"We wouldn't miss it for anything," he assures. "And Edward, you got this. You know her, you wouldn't be doing this if you thought she'd turn you down."

And I realize he's right. Her words from Chicago play through my mind, " _And I want it all, too, Edward. Everything you're offering."_

"You're right. She'll say yes … She'll say yes because she wants everything just like I do," I announce, confident in my plan for once. "Thanks, bro, you always make things better."

"Of fucking course." He chuckles. "See you next weekend."

"See ya."

After hanging up with my brother, I'm surer about my plan than I've been so far. He's right, I know Bella, I know her better than anyone and she wants this. This life with the boys, our future kids and me.

Why not seal it with a marriage certificate?

The doorbell rings bringing me out of my thoughts. I get up to answer, already knowing who's there. "Alice." I kiss her cheek. "Thank you so much for doing this. I promise I won't be long and the boys are already napping."

She waves her hand as she walks by me. "No problem, Edward. Now go, run your errand." She shoos me out the door.

I take a deep breath and make my way to the car. What's to come is almost as scary as asking Bella.

.

.

I meet him at a sandwich shop close to the station. "Commissioner," I greet, shaking his hand. "Thanks for agreeing to see me."

His mustache twitches, but he says nothing, just motions to a seat across from him. After sitting down, he continues to eye me without a word. So I cross my arms over my chest and raise a brow.

Yeah, I asked him here but he doesn't have to act like an asshole. He's lucky I'm here at all.

Finally, he swipes his hand down his mustache and clears his throat. "Edward, you asked me here today, so why don't you just go ahead and get it over with." He waves his hand.

"Get it over with?" I ask confused.

He sighs. "Well, I've only been asked out to lunch one other time by a man who was seeing Bella, and he wanted to marry her. So I have a good idea where this conversation is headed."

I blanch. It's so easy to forget that she was engaged before. It seems like a blip in her life to me, but in reality, it was something huge―so huge that this guy asked Charlie's permission.

Good thing I'm not that pussy.

I lean my elbows on the table in front of me. "Well, it's a good thing I'm not like that guy. She probably wouldn't agree to marry me if I was." I smirk at the shocked look on his face. "I actually asked you here to make my intentions clear, to be a man about it ―honestly and up front. In reality, I don't need your permission to do the asking, as I know Bella is plenty capable of making her own choice. However, I wanted to give you the courtesy of knowing my intent."

He leans back in his chair, the corner of his mustache twitching. "You're right. Bella doesn't need her father making decisions for her." He looks off out the window in thought for a second before finding my eyes again. "You don't think this is too fast?"

I consider his words for only a second before I respond. "No, and I hope Bella doesn't think so either. We've been a family since day two; it's been natural and easy. I want it to be permanent and I'm hoping she won't be opposed."

The fucker starts laughing at me. Full-on belly holding guffaws and it's pissing me the fuck off.

I lean farther across the table. "What the fuck are you laughing at?" I grit, barely able to keep my voice level.

He tries to rein it in and eventually succeeds while I sit there and fume. "Oh, Edward," he says, wiping the wetness from his eyes. "Don't be so unsure of yourself … or her. It's been clear since the barbeque that this is where you two were headed. Frankly, I'm surprised it took this long." He shakes his head. "Stubborn kids." Then he gets serious. "But consider yourself warned. I don't ever expect you to hurt my daughter or my grandsons."

"I wouldn't dream of it, they're everything to me," I say sincerely, looking him dead in his eyes. Then I smirk. "Or those future children."

His eyes widen, and it's my turn to laugh my ass off at him. When I finally sober and meet his eyes again, they're twinkling with mirth. "I love grandbabies, the more, the merrier."

I blow out a breath and get to the tough part, the part that makes me so unsure. Rubbing the back of my neck, I mumble, "I sorta already booked the wedding … for next weekend."

His brows shoot into his hairline and he whistles lowly. "Damn, boy, you sure are pushing your luck, huh?"

I sigh, fucking defeated. "I want it to be taken care of before Jake's transplant. It's um … uh … a destination wedding."

"Oh yeah?" he asks, that fucking mustache twitching away.

"Yeah and I'd like to invite you, Renee, Alice and Jasper." I look out the window. "If she says yes, that is."

"Why don't you just give me the details and I'll make sure the right people are informed," he suggests.

So I do. I fill him in on my plan and the more I talk, the bigger his smile gets.

"I can see you've given this a lot of thought, son, except for the asking her two days before part. No wonder you're so unsure. That's a big surprise to drop on a woman," he observes.

"I know, Charlie, but Bella isn't a frills and thrills girl, she likes to live in the moment. If she wants to marry me, I don't think the when or where will be a problem," I say, trying to sound confident, when really, I'm anything but.

I'm a nervous, doubtful wreck.

Every time I think I know she'll say yes, the doubt creeps back in, it suffocates me.

He takes a sip of his coffee. "Well, son, you're in luck then, because I think she feels exactly the same. I'll book the trip, and at the worst, we'll just have a family vacation with our grandsons," he says. "Now go, get your ducks in a row." He waves me away.

"Later, Commissioner." I chuckle and get up, leaving him to have lunch alone.

I make one more stop to pick up precious cargo, then head back home to my boys.

.

.

After a day of planning, my mind is wiped out, but it's time to put phase one into action. I have to get her to agree to even go on the vacation first. I don't think it'll be that hard of a sell, but I'll never know until I ask.

When I've read the boys to sleep, I make my way to the kitchen to grab a bottle of wine and two glasses, then join Bella on the couch. She's leaned against the arm with her head resting back as I approach.

"Tough day?" I ask, opening the wine and pouring her a glass.

"Not really, just trying to relax," she answers.

I hold out her glass. "This should help then."

"Perfect, thank you." She smiles and takes the glass, putting it directly to her lips, watching me watch her.

I groan. "Why does everything you do have to be so fucking sexy?" I pour my own glass and take a seat right beside her as I speak.

She flutters her lashes dramatically. "I guess I'm just a sexy kind of girl." She winks and takes a sip, her eyes close as she savors the flavor.

I can't not look at her as I bring my own glass to my lips. "Umm, what a perfect way to end the day."

She runs her finger down my chest. "I think there might be a better end than this."

I stop her hand in place. "Ah, yes, Miss Swan, I like the way you think." I lean in and press my lips to hers.

The wine, mixed with her natural taste is seductive, slowly pulling me away from my intentions. Our tongues push and slide together in a sensual dance of love and passion. This is who we are. Two souls meant to be together. With that thought in mind, I pull back and remember what needs to be done.

"I love you, Bella." I punctuate it with another small kiss.

She smiles a beaming smile. "I love that you love me. I don't know how I lived this long without it … your love," she says shyly.

As if there's any reason for that. "You'll never have to again," I assure her and I mean it completely.

This woman has owned me since the day I laid eyes on her. I may not have realized it until lately, but now that I do, I see just how far back it goes. Just how much she's meant to me the whole time.

I reach for her glass and set it on the end table along with mine, then I turn back and grab her hands between mine. "I've done something," I confess.

Her brows rise. "Oh? A good something or a bad something?" she asks playing along, with an impish look.

I smile to assure her. "A good something, a fucking fabulous something, actually. As long as you go along with my master plan."

She leans closer. "Well, why don't you fill me in on this plan then?"

I kiss her again, softly, and then tell her exactly what I've done. "I booked us a family vacation."

Her eyes go wide. "A family vacation?"

I nod and smirk. "Yes, and please, just say yes." I kiss her again, lingering for a moment.

When I pull back and meet her eyes, she utters one word.

"Yes."

* * *

 **So, let me say that Edward completely has taken over and is guiding the next few chapters. He has plans and I had no control over him.**

 **Now, where do you think they're headed?**

 **See you Monday :)**


	30. Full Speed Ahead

**Many thanks to Frannie who cleans for me, but I do tweak. My support team of Michele, Vampiregirl 93, Lissa and Judyblue make this better for you.**

* * *

 **Day 47**

 **EPOV**

Our plane touches down amid a flurry of excitement for the boys, and nerves for me. Not that I'm really worried anymore, it's just the _not_ knowing. Tomorrow evening all that changes. Tomorrow evening, I'm going to ask Bella to become my wife.

And she's going to accept, I won't even contemplate a different outcome.

We make our way to the happiest place on earth, the boys buzzing in the back seat. After checking into our villa at Disney's Grand Floridian Resort and Spa, we plan to head to the Magic Kingdom to have dinner and catch the fireworks show.

With the magic of Disney on my side, I intend to leave as her husband.

Later that night after the boys are in bed, we're lying naked, our bodies intertwined after a hot as fuck shower session. Both spent and relaxed, I decide it's time to bring up something I want to clarify.

I rub my fingertips along her scalp, massaging deeply. "Um, there's something I was hoping we could discuss," I say quietly.

She pulls her head back from where it was resting on my chest and makes eye contact in the dim lighting. "Yeah? Sounds serious."

I can't help myself, I lean down and press my lips to hers for a brief kiss. "Nothing to worry over, but something I think needs to be discussed again … now, in the present."

"Now, in the present? You make it sound like some ancient mystery." She giggles. "Just spit it out, Edward. I promise not to bite."

I nibble her collarbone. "What if I want you to?"

"Well in that case …" She leans forward, running her lips up my neck to my lobe, which she takes in between her teeth and pulls.

Chills erupt down my arms and I move away. "Yeah, uh, okay. This is not where I was trying to go. Although, when we're done talking I wouldn't be opposed to another round."

She lifts a perfectly arched brow and waves her hand for me to continue.

I run my hand through my hair and decide that just spitting it out seems like the best solution. It's not like it's anything bad, it's just a confirmation of sorts. Settling something between us. Because now, we are _an us_ ―and we weren't then―when we discussed this last.

"So," I start, "I wanted to talk about the um … baby." I meet her eyes hesitantly. She looks curious, confused. "I know we've discussed it before, but um …"

"What about the baby," she asks softly, breaking me from my ramblings.

I scoot closer to her and cradle her in my arms, taking strength from holding her close. "It's just that when we discussed it before … well, it was before." I give her a punctuated look so she knows exactly the before to which I'm referring. "You know, before? And well, I think it's something we need to discuss again … now."

She looks down at my bare chest, where her fingers caress lightly, before meeting my eyes again. "Okay." She swallows and my eyes are drawn to her neck. "What about the baby?"

I slowly drag my eyes away from her tantalizing skin and look to her. "Well, we were still planning to have a baby, but from me donating. Obviously that's not needed now, but I just want to clear the air, find out how you feel. Find out if we're still even going to have a baby. I mean, we haven't taken any precautions and I want to know how you feel about that."

She gets a mischievous glint in her eye. "Why, Edward Masen, are you asking me if I want to have your baby?"

I smirk. "I guess I sorta am." Then I get more serious. "With Jay and Vic's baby providing the cure for Jake, I didn't want to presume that's what you still wanted."

"Is that … Is that something you still want?" she asks hesitantly, looking at me from under her lashes.

I peck her lips because she's just too fucking adorable. "Baby," I say softly. "I told you, I'm all in. If you're ready to have another baby, then I am too." I kiss her again. "Even fucking more so now that we're together."

She reaches up and wraps her arms around my neck, scratching the back of my scalp. I hum in delight. "So, we're doing this then? We're going to have a baby? A baby for no other reason than we want one?" she asks, a smile already curving her lips.

"Do you want one?" I ask, clearing my throat.

"I do," she answers, her face glowing with delight. "I've always wanted more kids. I never expected to get one the way I got Seth, but I think that's turned out to be the biggest blessing of my life."

"That makes two of us." I lean down and capture her lips with mine. When I pull back this time, I roll onto my back, pulling her to straddle me. "Why don't we try again right now?"

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

 **Day 48**

Thursday dawns bright and sunny, the boys bouncing on the bed awakens us. "Get up, get up," Seth says jumping up and down.

"Yeah, we gots to go see Mickey," Jake seconds.

I rub my fingers to clear my eyes. "Okay, dudes, on it. Give Mama and me a minute and we'll be ready. Go pick out something to wear today."

"Okay, hurry," Seth adds, jumping down from the bed with Jake right behind him.

I hear a giggle from under the covers. Lifting them, I peek at Bella hiding beneath. "You know they can't pick their own clothes, don't you?" she asks, looking at me with a smirk.

I slide down and cover both our heads again. "I know." I peck her luscious lips. "I was just buying us a couple of minutes so I could do this."

I lean close and kiss her again. I take my time, exploring every inch of her mouth while my hands roam up her back under my T-shirt that she's wearing. A moan builds deep in her throat and it's time to stop.

Our boys are up and ready to hit Epcot.

I pull away and press my forehead to hers, panting heavily.

"I love you," she says, her eyes burning into mine.

All I can do is groan. "God, baby, I love you so fucking much." I kiss her again, I can't stop myself. When I pull away this time, I leave the bed altogether. "Let me go take care of the boys, you get up and get dressed." With a wink, I turn and leave before I get us both in trouble.

It doesn't take long before we've had breakfast and are on the way to Epcot. We realize that Jake won't be able to handle running around all day so we intend to pack in as much as we can before he gets tired. After that we'll retire to our resort for the evening.

It's a two-bedroom villa overlooking the lake with a full kitchen. There are several dining areas on site and a spa. After the boys rest, we can always find something low key to do for the evening. It's a win/win for a couple of three-year-olds. I doubt there's much more that could make them happier.

Our day is spent exploring Epcot, and while there aren't many rides they can go on, there are plenty of interactive adventures to be had and so much to see. Just the energy of Disney is enough to keep the boys content.

When Jake starts showing signs of fatigue, we begin the trek back to our resort. He's barely able to keep his eyes open by the time we arrive. I gingerly pick him up and tote him the rest of the way. Laying him down, Seth tiredly crawls right in beside him.

"I had fun today, Daddy," Seth says sleepily.

"I know, dude, take a nap. There's still stuff to do when you get up," I soothe. With a soft kiss to both their sleepy heads, I get up and make my way back to the living room.

Bella's sitting on the couch. "Hey, baby. Do you mind if I run to the souvenir shops and see what I can find? I'd like to bring something home for everyone."

I smirk to myself.

That actually works perfectly for me. Plenty of time for me to call and have dinner delivered. That _most_ special dinner. The one where phase two kicks into gear, and, depending on the outcome, phase three may be next.

"Sure, baby." I walk over and kiss her. "You go and I'll figure out something for dinner."

"We can always go back out when the boys are up from their nap," she suggests.

"Yeah, I'll take a look and decide on something," I assure her, already having a plan in mind.

She stands and grabs her purse then walks over to me. I pull her close as soon as she's in arms reach. "I'm not so sure this was a good idea. Maybe we could use this time a little more wisely." I wiggle my brows.

She giggles and swats me on the chest. "Do you ever get enough?"

"Of you?" I ask. "Never." And I punctuate it with a searing kiss.

When I release her, she stands with an uncertain look on her face. "Maybe you're right."

I laugh outright. She's so fucking easy. "No, baby, you go. We have plenty time for that later." I turn her toward the door and send her on her way with a swat on her cute little ass.

After I'm sure she's gone, I pick up the room phone. I need a special delivery―a dinner that will knock her socks off, and I need it delivered for a private family meal. Once that's all taken care of, I set about making sure the ring is in my pocket and at the ready.

The boys nap for almost two, excruciating hours and when they wake, I'm finally able to fill them in on the whole reason we're here.

"Okay, boys, do you understand the plan? It's just like you've done before. When you hear me bring it up, you speak," I explain for the tenth time, hoping against hope that they get it right.

"Yeah, we know, Daddy," Seth says.

"And then we get up and go play, right?" Jake asks.

I blow out a breath. "That's exactly what you do, but just come in here and start the movie, okay? That way we can call you in … if she says yes."

Seth rolls his eyes. "She's gonna say yes, Daddy. Mamas and daddies posed to be married."

Jake nods along. "And you love her."

I smile at their naivety. "I do love her and both of you, very much."

I ordered a meal similar to one I've made for Bella in the past, one that she loved―if that night's activities were any indication. Balsamic glazed pork chops with roasted potatoes and baby carrots. I also requested a romantic setting for the table, candles, and fresh flowers.

I've decided on several different tactics. The dinner _and_ the kids, along with more of my words. The ones that convince her I'm worth spending the rest of her life with; the ones that express how much she means to me. The ones that promise I'll cherish her every moment of forever.

Everything's set and now we wait anxiously for her arrival. Me, sweating bullets, and the boys so excited they're dancing in their spots.

"Dudes," I say. "You've got to chill, be cool about it. Okay? Mama is going to know something's up if you can't stay still. Go run around the room a few times and burn off some of that energy before she gets back."

They take off wide open and Bella wouldn't approve, but it's for a good cause. I want everything to be perfect and hyperactive boys will only make her suspicious.

I have to laugh at the situation, or I'd drive myself crazy. Little does she know, but every single person on her gift list is arriving here tomorrow. I only hope their journey is made worthwhile by Bella accepting my proposal … tonight.

I take a deep breath and try to release my nerves. No need to worry anymore. It's time, and she'll either think I'm the sweetest fucker ever … or the craziest.

Let's get on with it.

She enters a little while later and I hold my breath as the boys run to her. I pray the whole time that they won't blurt it all out. Luckily, they don't. So now my worry focuses on whether they'll miss their mark at dinner.

I approach where she's standing after giving the boys their hello hugs. "Hey, baby," she says, before giving me a kiss on the lips. "Something smells good."

"Uh, huh. Did you get all of your shopping done?" I ask, changing the subject.

She rolls her eyes. "Does a girl ever get all her shopping done? Let me run and change clothes and I'll be ready to eat."

"We'll be waiting for you." I wink and turn to hurdle the boys to the dining area.

After I have them settled at the table, I start bringing out dinner. "All right, dudes, show time. You remember what to do?"

"Yes, Daddy." Seth sighs as if I'm annoying him.

"We got it," Jake chimes in.

"Okay, I'm counting on you two." I ruffle their hair and take my seat while we all anxiously await Bella's arrival.

It doesn't take long before she's breezing back into the room. She's changed into sweats and a T-shirt―one of mine, actually―and has her hair pulled back from her face, her makeup removed. She couldn't be any more beautiful.

I watch her the whole time; as she enters my sightline, makes herself something to drink, all the way, until she takes her seat. I can't take my eyes away from her knowing that very soon, this is going to go amazingly right or amazingly wrong.

"What?" she asks, noticing my stare.

I have to shake myself out of my stupor in order to answer. "Nothing, you're beautiful."

She gives me a breathtaking smile and then turns her focus on the food I've set out on the table. "Edward, are these like those amazing pork chops you made at home?" Her eyes are sparkling with the hope that they are.

I smirk. "They may or may not be."

"Well dish us up, I can't wait to find out." She waves her hand toward the food.

I stand and fill the boys' plates first, and while Bella makes her own, I cut the pork into bite size pieces for each of them. When I return to my seat, I notice Bella's eyes are glued to me, watching my every move.

"What is it?" I ask, giving her a questioning look.

"Nothing, you're beautiful," she answers with a wink, then turns to dig into her dinner.

I smile to myself and start making my own plate.

Conversation through dinner ranges from how much fun we had today to where we're going tomorrow. Just light and carefree banter. Meanwhile I'm a bundle of nerves. That's new to me, being nervous, I take it as a sign.

A sign that I'm facing the most important moment of my life.

When we're almost done, I clear my throat, it's now or never.

"So, I talked with Emmett Monday."

"Oh yeah?" Bella asks. "Does he have any new information?"

"No, he's actually off our case completely now," I explain.

"What happened?" She puts her fork down and wipes her mouth with her napkin, giving me her full attention.

"It seems he and Rose are even closer than I thought. He's considering asking her to marry him," I relay to her what Emmett told me.

"Wow that seems fast." She lifts her brows and takes a sip of her lemonade.

I chuckle uneasily. "I guess when you know you know."

"My friend Paul, his parents are married," Jake says, finally jumping into the conversation.

"Yeah so are Unca Jay and Aunt Vic, they love each other a whole lots," Seth adds, spreading his arms out wide.

"Mama and Daddy love each other that much, too." Jake sits, nodding his head at Seth.

Both Bella and I are sitting there, our heads volleying back and forth, attentive to the conversation being held between the two of them.

"I know they do," Seth agrees.

"Yep, they gettin' married, too," Jake adds.

"Shh, you not posed to say nothin'," Seth corrects him.

"What?" Jake holds up his hands all innocently and shit. I couldn't have paid them to do a better job. "Daddy said he wants to marry her."

Bella, who's been listening keenly to their conversation, snaps her eyes to me. Only this time, I don't look down or act unsure. I stare back at her, confident and proud, hoping she can see my very soul.

In my periphery, I notice the boys quietly shush each other and tiptoe out of the room a little more dramatically than necessary. Bella's eyes never leave mine, though. They're burning through me, questioning.

She opens her mouth, but no words escape. I scoot my seat closer to hers and reach up, brushing my thumb against her lips. "Shh, don't say anything, baby. Let me do the talking right now, okay?"

She nods, keeping her eyes glued to mine.

I move my thumb and replace it with my lips for a brief, but important kiss. A kiss that I hope resonates throughout her whole body the way it does to mine.

When I pull back, I take her hands. "Bella, I know I fucked up in Chicago when the boys put us on the spot, but not this time. This time, I mean it. I _want_ to marry you, I _want_ to share my future with you, I _want_ to have more babies with you, I _want_ our boys to become _our_ boys … legally. I _want_ everything with you, and I _want_ it as soon as you'll give it to me."

Her eyes widen, but I rush to stand and pull the ring from my pocket. I drop to my knees before her, opening the box and holding the ring out in front of me.

"Bella, will you marry me … Saturday, here, at Disney?"

* * *

 **Will she?**

 **See you Saturday! (No teaser this week *evil cackles*)**


	31. One Lane Road Ahead

**Fran is amazing makes my chapters shine, but I still tweak. Michele, Vampiregirl93, Lissa and Judyblue pre-read for me.**

* * *

 **Surprise!**

 **Day 48**

 **BPOV**

My hand flies up to cover the gasp that wants to spill forth, my eyes are barely able to glance at the jewelry in his hand. I can't take them from his. They're burning into me with so much emotion that I'm caught. I can't even begin to look anywhere else.

He's serious.

This man, this amazing man, wants me to marry him. And not only to marry him, but to marry him in two days. It's almost too much to process, but as I try, he's patient. Waiting for my response, steadfast and sure.

Tears rush to my eyes and I try to hold them back, concern settles in his gaze. Concern for me. The woman who holds his heart in her hands at this moment.

Does he not know? Does he not realize that he owns me; that I want it all and I want it with him? Today, tomorrow, next year, whenever … and apparently that's in two days.

I slowly reach forward and run my finger along his jaw. He holds steady, waiting for my answer. An answer I intend to give. With careful tenderness, I lean closer to him. Eyes locked, the zap and hum between us intensifying.

"Yes," I almost whisper, then louder, firmer. "Yes."

His face transforms with my words.

From hope to shock to overwhelming joy.

I hold my hand out to accept the ring, only he seems to have forgotten. He stands, pulling me with him and lifts me, spinning and spinning, holding me tighter.

"Yes?" he asks. "You said yes?"

I laugh and nod, burying my head in his shoulder. "Yes!" I say loudly.

"Dudes, she said yes!" he yells.

And our boys are running, running into the room, whooping and dancing. "Told you, Daddy," Seth says.

"Uh, huh, she loves you," Jake adds.

I catch Edward's eyes and they're glassy, so overfilled with emotion he can barely hold back. He buries his face in my shoulder and shudders, before sighing deeply and lifting his head again, love shining in his eyes.

"I know, dudes, you told me." He winks at me and I can't wait to hear this story. My boys, who are so good at spilling secrets apparently kept one from me and played their part to perfection.

Reluctant for this moment to pass, but ready to get answers, I lift a brow to Edward. "So, do I get to wear that pretty ring or was it just a prop?"

He throws his head back and laughs, long and hard. When he's done, he presses his lips to mine so firmly that my mind goes fuzzy for a second, lost in the feel of him.

"I love you so f … freaking much, you know that?" he asks with a twinkle in his eye.

"I sure hope so since you did just ask me to marry you … in two days?" Even though that's what I heard, it's still hard to grasp. "How―"

He kisses me again, stopping my words and slowly allows me to slide down, my feet on the floor once more. "I'll explain it all, baby, but first"―he drops to his knees again―"will you accept my ring?"

Now that I really look, it's stunning.

Platinum, with a huge princess, cut diamond as the star and tiny baguettes lining either side.

I drop down before him. "Please," I whisper, holding out my left hand.

Both boys are quiet now, standing close, eyes on the ring as Edward slides it on my finger.

"That's it, now you married," Seth announces, throwing his hands up like everything's taken care of.

"Nu, uh," Jake says. "Mama gotta wear a dress like Aunt Alice did."

"Huh?" Seth asks him.

"Yeah, Aunt Alice wored a white dress when she gots married, I went there," Jake explains.

"You gots to wear a dress, Mama?" Seth asks turning my face to look at him.

"Let's go have a seat and we'll explain it, _I'll_ explain it to all of you," Edward says, giving me a wink and helping me to stand. He leads us to the couch where we all settle in close.

For the boys' benefit, Edward starts by explaining what getting married means, or at least what a wedding is. Then he goes on to inform us that we will have our wedding Saturday at Disney's Wedding Pavilion and that Mickey and Minnie will be at the reception.

The boys cheer over this news and take it all in stride, happy that their parents are getting married at all. I'm not sure they really understand, but this is actually perfect. As they grow and learn, they'll never remember what it was like to be without each other or either of us.

I'm in awe of this man and his determination, secretly planning a wedding at Disney World no less, and leaving it up to chance that I'd agree.

But he knows.

He has to know.

There was never a chance I'd say no.

This man, this family, is everything to me. When I commit I do so fully and he's owned me since that day in my office when he so blatantly opened my eyes. There was never any going back, it was only the beginning.

The beginning of our life … together.

"So I gots to wear a suit?" Seth asks, crinkling his nose. "I not like suits, Daddy."

Edward chuckles and ruffles his hair. "Yeah, buddy, but don't you want to look nice?"

"Are you wearing a suit, too?" Jake asks Edward.

"Yeah, dude, all three of us have a suit. We'll match," he explains to the boys and it really hits me then.

I gasp. "What am I supposed to wear, Edward? I can't find a dress in one day? Surely you didn't buy that too?" I'm freaking out a little bit, but I can't have a Cinderella wedding without Cinderella dress.

He grabs my flailing hands and captures them between his sure, strong ones. "Baby, calm down. No, I didn't buy you a dress"―I start to open my mouth, but he raises a brow effectively shutting me up―"but I _did_ contact a boutique and you have an appointment tomorrow at eleven to pick something out that's perfect."

I sigh because come on, that's the most romantic thing ever, besides my soon-to-be husband planning the entire wedding himself. "What if I don't find something, what then?" I ask, still fretting over the inane.

Who am I kidding, I'd marry this man in my PJs if I that were all that was available.

He brushes his fingers along my cheek, cupping my face in his incredibly warm, strong hand. "Then you go to another boutique and look at more dresses." He kisses me tenderly. "Anything you wear will be beautiful. You're beautiful. I just want you as my wife and whatever you wear will just be a bonus."

I swoon, my muscles relaxing instantly. "Thank you."

He smiles. "No, baby, thank _you,_ for making my life complete."

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

 **Day 49**

"Do you know what type of dresses you'd like to see?" Sue, the lady at the boutique, asks me.

I consider her question for one second before answering. "This is a fairytale wedding, so a fairy tale dress is in order," I reply, nodding to myself.

I've never really considered myself a Cinderella type girl, but Edward makes me feel as if I'm his princess. He worships me in every way, from our everyday life where he cooks for me, cleans for me, takes care of our boys for me, to our private moments where he worships me in an entirely different, but thoroughly satisfying way.

"I never took you for a Cinderella dress type girl," Vic observes from beside me.

Because, yeah, my perfect man even planned this with our families involved. Jay and Vic arrived early this morning, with the rest of them to arrive throughout the day. Everyone I love and would want to witness my wedding will be here by tomorrow.

It almost makes me tear up thinking about his thoughtfulness, his adoration, his complete devotion to making me the happiest woman on the planet for my wedding day.

"Actually, me either," I say turning to her, "but I never took myself as a get-married-at-Disney-World-with-two-days-notice type girl either. I just think it fits. He makes me feel like a princess, so why not look the part?" I shrug.

"Wow, you two." She shakes her head in disbelief. "I'm surprised at how accepting you both are. I _knew_ you'd get here, but never ever imagined you'd be _this_ ready _this_ soon. I thought _we'd_ have to throw you two a surprise wedding to get you down the aisle."

I can't help but laugh. "Oh, come on." I bump her shoulder with mine. "We're not _that_ stubborn."

She barks out the most un-ladylike laugh I've ever heard. "If you say so, sweetie. I'm just glad that you're both happy." She leans conspiratorially closer. "But I'm dying to know what my brother-in-law did to make you say yes so easily."

I sigh a deep, dreamy sigh. "Everything he does, everything he is, made me say yes. He's perfect in so many ways, he just …" I trail off not even able to put it in words.

"Speechless, huh? That's pretty damn good I'd say." She smirks and turns her attention to Sue, who's walking our way, her arms laden with dresses.

The rest of the afternoon is spent trying on dress after dress until that one magical one slips into place. I know it immediately and Vic's tears when I walk out only confirm it further.

This is the one.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

 **Day 50**

"Are you ready, sweetie?" Mom asks, tears already shining in her eyes.

I smile and hug her. "More than you can imagine."

"I know you are, baby." She sniffs and rubs my cheek. "I'm going to go take my seat. I'll send your dad in."

"Thanks, mom, I love you." She smiles her teary smile and leaves me to wait on my father to escort me to my future.

I stare at the woman in the mirror. Her eyes are bright and her happiness is shining in her eyes. She's a woman who's allowing herself to have it all. Her love is written all over her.

I light knock on the door brings me one step closer to forever. "It's time," Dad says as I greet him. "Wow, Bella, you look beautiful." His voice is gruff.

I do a slight spin and fix him with a smile. "Thank you, Daddy." I kiss his cheek. With a deep breath, I take his proffered arm. "I'm ready."

He smiles at me and it's wistful. "Let's do this, baby girl. I'm not even going to ask if you're sure because it's written all over you." He pats my hand that's hooked around his elbow, facing forward. "And for what it's worth, I think you've picked one fine young man."

A confident, contented smile appears on my lips as he starts leading me to where my future awaits. My sons and I sigh because damn … Edward Masen. That man has rendered me a puddle of goo.

He's swept into my life and completely taken over. He's buried himself so deep inside that I can't make out where I end and he begins. He owns my soul and in just a short while, he'll own me legally as well.

As I will him.

My father's hand tightens over mine as we face the door to the chapel. With a small nod to the men holding it, they swing open. My eyes begin in front of me, making their way forward. The aisle is lined with free-standing candelabras, pearls dripping from the arms with ropes of flowers twined around their stems. A runner is beneath my feet with rose petals in pinks and yellows lining each side. On the center, several feet in front of me I'm able to make out some text.

 _And they lived happily ever after_ is written in curling script, and as my feet pass, I finally allow my eyes to slide forward, all the way forward, to the end of the aisle.

My breath catches in my throat as I take in the trio standing, waiting for me to join them. I barely notice anyone else is in the room as I glide down the aisle toward my future. I know others are here, sighs and sniffles register in the periphery, but my focus is only ahead of me.

Green eyes are locked on mine, guiding me forth effortlessly. Hope and love and the future gleam from their depths. Wetness shines as I make my final approach.

He reaches for me, pulling me close. Lips lean in, connecting for a brief but calming touch. A throat clears, bringing us into the present.

We face forward―together.

Everything from this moment on will be that way.

Together.

As one.

A tug on my dress catches my attention. I look down into green and brown, both looking adoringly at me.

"Mama, you're so pretty in your dress," Jake says quietly.

"Sure are Mama," Seth agrees, nodding his head.

I ruffle their hair and situate them in front of Edward and me.

Together.

As a family.

The minister begins his sermon.

"Dearly beloved … "

When it's time for the vows, the minister turns to me. "Bella, would you repeat after me?"

I nod and turn to Edward, giving voice to my vows with promises to love, honor and cherish this man for the rest of my life.

"Edward, would you repeat after me?" the minister asks.

With a nod, Edward repeats his own vows, but when he's done, he doesn't stop. "I have a few more things I'd like to say if that's okay?" He eyes the minister for an objection and when none comes, he faces back to me, then down to the boys.

He kneels down to their level and starts speaking. "Seth, Jake, not only do I vow to love your mama and be there every day for the rest of her life, but I vow the same to you two, also. You mean everything to me"―he makes eye contact with me for a moment, then back to the boys―"to both of us. We promise to always be there for you. We've been a family since the day Seth landed in Seattle, but now I want us all to all be Masens. Will you do that? Jake, will you become a Masen, too?"

Tears are leaking down my cheeks as Edward, split wide open, asks our son to take his name. I kneel down next to Edward, facing the boys. "I love you both so much, _we_ love you both so much."

I stop to sniffle and Jake reaches forward, wiping a tear from my cheek. "Why you crying, Mama? I thought you posed to be happy. You not wanna be a Masen like dem?" he asks me in his sweetest voice, eyes concerned.

I start nodding vigorously. "I do, baby. I do want to be a Masen, so very much. What about you? Do you want to be a Masen?"

He props his fingers on his chin in thought. "I might forget sometimes. I been Jacob Swan forever," he says holding his hands wide to demonstrate how long. "You gonna forget sometimes?" he then asks me.

I sniffle and shake my head. "No, sweetie, Mama won't forget."

Edward breaks in. "Dude, it's okay if you forget. We'll remind you. We'll always be there to remind you, won't we Seth?"

Seth nods his head very fast. "Yeah we will. I remind you all the time. Sides … that's my last name and we be brothers wif the same last name then."

We all wait patiently while Jacob decides if he's ready for such a big change. Finally, he reaches in and latches on to Edward's neck. "I wanna be a Masen, too, like Mama," he tells him quietly as he hugs him close.

Edward beams with glassy eyes and pulls Seth in to join the hug. When they're done, he pulls them back and meets their eyes. "I love both you guys so much. You and your mama are everything to me."

"Love you, too, Daddy," Seth says.

"I a Masen like you now," Jakes says and everybody chuckles, including Edward.

"You sure are, dude," Edward assures him with a ruffle to his hair before standing up and pulling me with him. "Now, let's finish this so we can go party with Mickey and Minnie," he adds with a wink to the boys.

Both boys give a whoop and with a hand on their shoulder, Edward settles them down. The minister takes his cue and finishes with those most famous words.

"Edward Masen, you may now kiss your bride."

He turns to me then, his eyes scorching my soul. My body ignites. When he's so very close, he stops. "I fucking love you, Mrs. Masen," he whispers before planting his lips on mine in a bruising kiss.

A kiss of commitment, a kiss of forever, a kiss that lights me on fire.

Another tug to my dress breaks us apart. "Come look, Mama," Seth says already trying to drag me away. "You can see the castle through the window."

"We went there yesterday," Jake adds. "Wif Daddy and Unca Jay."

I giggle and follow behind, allowing them to lead me where they want. Edward stays close, not letting me far from arms reach. "Oh, man, that sure is pretty," I confirm.

"We walked through the inside and took a picture wif the princess," Seth exclaims excitedly.

"She signed our books too," Jake adds.

Edward chuckles. "All right, dudes. You ready to go party with Mickey and Minnie?"

"Yes!" Jake says jumping up and down a little.

"Let's go," Seth follows, already leading the way.

Edward grabs my hand, stopping me in place while the boys run ahead. "You're beautiful, did I tell you that? You're so goddamn gorgeous, Bella." He leans closer, his lips brushing the shell of my ear. "This dress"―he runs his hand down my side and around to my ass, pulling me closer―"is fucking stunning. You're fucking stunning in it, but I can't wait to peel it from your body tonight. So fucking slowly, I want to explore the dips and curves of my wife inch by fucking inch."

Chills race up my spine and heat settles in my belly, the image his words create light a fire inside. I grip his hair and snatch his lips to mine. It's a devouring kiss, one with promises of what's to come.

It's slow and sensual, passion and fire, tongues battling and sliding, twisting and turning. This is the kiss of promises to come. The kiss of our future. The kiss that is the beginning of everything together.

A throat clearing in the distance shocks us back to the moment and our lips part, foreheads rest together, eyes locked. "Now that was my first kiss to my bride," Edward says with a wink and one more, small peck before taking my hand and turning to lead us back down the aisle.

Together.

Everyone else is gathered, waiting at the entrance. They step outside as we approach and form a line. Our boys wait and with each taking a hand, the four of us make our way into the sunshine and across the bridge which signifies entering our new life together. Disney guests stand around, cheering our journey.

At the end of our public trek waits Cinderella's carriage to take us to our reception back at our resort.

I sigh, because fuck, isn't he the most perfect man in the world?

The rest of the night is spent eating, laughing and dancing with our closest family and most treasured possessions.

Our sons.

When the boys can't keep their eyes open any longer, Jay and Vic take their leave and all of the kids go with them. When I can no longer spin the night away, we retire back to our suite.

As husband and wife for the first time.

Our night is filled with tender caresses and worshipping eyes.

The cherished moments.

The highest highs.

Our night is filled.

It's filled with love.

* * *

 **Of course she said yes ;)**

 *****Vampiregirl93 and I made a FB page. All fics by either of us and Fyremasen will be featured there. Teasers, pics, updates and sneak peeks when something new arises. If you're interested, you can like our page to keep up to date :) … search for** **Fyregirl Fics** **… Wedding pics will post in PIF and on the page later this morning.**

 **This was the fluff before the tough.**

 **See you next Friday!**


	32. Dangerous Curve Ahead

**Thanks as always to Fran, my word fixer, she makes my chapters better every single time. All mistakes are mine. Lissa, Judyblue, Michele and Vampiregirl 93 pre-read for me.**

* * *

 **Day 62**

 **BPOV**

It's been a little over a week of marital bliss, and while it's completely exhilarating to know that we're joined for life, not much has changed at home. We're still the loving, happy family we've been since the beginning.

Even when I wasn't sure I could ever let myself have this life, Edward was. He was certain and ready to fight for it―fight for me, fight for us. I'm the luckiest woman on the planet to have been handed him as my partner in this situation, and it's something I'll never forget.

The first thing we did after returning from Disney was to visit the attorney Edward had hired to handle the adoption. In our situation, the stepparent adoption process is rather straight-forward, but we also petitioned to have each other's name added as the opposing parent on the boys' birth certificates. While this is an unusual request, our situation is also unprecedented.

We have a hearing before the judge on the adoption and name change next week. Later, we'll go to court again for the additions to the birth certificates. Our attorney is confident that given the circumstances, that aspect of the process will also be approved, but it'll be more complicated than the simple hearing coming up.

Yesterday, when Edward took Jake for his weekly tests, Carlisle asked if we could come in this evening and speak with him alone. Edward assured him we'd be there and even had Alice and Jasper agree to watch the boys. So that's where we are now, in the car headed to meet with Carlisle.

With our hands clasped firmly between us, I give Edward's a light squeeze. He glances at me while attempting to keep his eyes on the road. "Do you think he has bad news for us?"

His hand tightens even further around mine. "No, baby, I don't. He didn't seem like he'd be delivering bad news. He just said he wants us prepared since the possible transplant is looming."

"Prepared?" I ask already shaking my head. "I'm afraid to be prepared, Edward. When Jake first got sick, I went straight to Google. What I found there terrified me and that was just his diagnosis, I don't even want to imagine what he might have to go through for the transplant. I decided right then and there that I'd let Carlisle lead me through this." I turn and stare out the window. "I've been thinking of it as this huge finish line off in the distance, pretending it would be the end." I look back at him and sigh. "But it's not the finish line, it's just the beginning and it's not off in the distance; it's closer than I want."

All this time I've hoped and prayed for the transplant that will save our son, and now that I really consider it, I'm afraid. _What if it doesn't work? What if there are complications? How long will it take my baby to heal from this? How much pain will he suffer to be cured?_

I'm so lost in my thoughts, that I don't even hear Edward speak to me. "Bella," he says louder, making sure he's heard. I snap my head in his direction. "Stop it. Let's see what he's going to tell us before you get lost in what ifs. Whatever it is, good or bad, we're a family and we'll handle it as such."

I let out a breath. "You're right."

"What else is new?" he asks with a smirk, trying to lighten the mood.

I can't help but return his smirk with one of my own. "I'll give you this one, but one day you'll screw up and I'll be there to rub it in."

He lifts our hands and places a kiss on the back of mine. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

We ride the rest of the way in companionable silence, both lost in our own thoughts, and when we arrive, Carlisle is already at the door waiting for us.

"Are we late?" I ask as we walk past him and into the reception area.

"No, you're not late, I was expecting you and wanted to make sure you could get in. The doors were locked since we've already closed," he assures.

A knot automatically forms in my stomach. What could he possibly need to speak to us about that has him staying after hours? Something's not right. Whatever he has to say is going to be something big.

We follow him back to his office and have a seat before he speaks again. "Thank you both for agreeing to meet with me today. How are things?"

"Things have been great, but could you please tell me why we're here?" I don't mean to sound short, but I'm so on edge that I just can't do it; I can't sit here and make small talk.

Carlisle clears his throat. "Yes, of course. I didn't mean to worry you, Bella."

Edward takes my hand and gives it a gentle squeeze. "You're perfectly fine, Carlisle. We're just a little anxious."

Carlisle slides his glasses on and opens the folder in front of him. "Okay, well let me fill you in on the reason for this meeting so you won't be in the dark any longer."

He glances up and when neither of us speak, he looks back to his folder and starts talking. "We've spent a lot of time discussing Jake's cure―the transplant, and a lot of time understanding how to manage until then, but we've never discussed the transplant itself."

A chill runs through me as his words bring both exhilaration and fear. Exhilaration for the most obvious reason, but fear because nothing with such a huge payoff can come without risk.

At my small nod, Carlisle continues, "The transplant itself is a relatively simple process. Jake will have a central line inserted upon admission and the stem cells will be introduced through that vehicle. It's the process before the transplant that will be the most difficult, and of course, afterward while we wait for the cells to engraft."

He stops to make sure we're following along and looks up from the paperwork on his desk. "Bella, I'm not sure you realize, but Jake will have to undergo chemotherapy before he can have the transplant." He looks at me carefully, waiting for me to absorb this information.

" _Chemotherapy?"_ I repeat, my voice shrill even to my own ears.

Edward's grip tightens even further and he leans forward. "What do you mean, Carlisle? Isn't chemo for cancer patients?"

Carlisle gives a slight nod. "Most often chemotherapy is used in cancer patients, but anyone undergoing a bone marrow transplant for whatever reason will need to undergo it also."

"Why?" I almost choke on my words. "Why will Jake need chemo?"

Carlisle sighs and his eyes soften. "This is the reason for this meeting. I wanted you to be fully aware of what's to come. If you're prepared to hear it, I can give you a rundown of what to expect during the transplant period."

I turn, my eyes seeking Edward's and he automatically reaches for my cheek to cup it in his strong, warm palm. "Baby, we got this. Whatever Carlisle needs to tell us, we're ready to hear." His thumb wipes away a tear. "You had to know the transplant wasn't going to be easy, but Jake"―his voice cracks and he draws in a breath before trying again―"Jake needs this, whatever _this_ is, he needs it to survive."

I lick my parched lips and lean into his palm. "I'm scared," I say hoarsely.

His forehead touches mine and his eyes bore into me. "Baby, whatever Jake has to face, he faces it with all of us beside him every step of the way. He'll never be alone. And when it's over, he'll be free from this disease that's holding him prisoner."

"You're right," I agree, closing my eyes for a brief moment. When I open them again, my determination is evident. "We've got this. _Jake's_ got this."

Edward smiles lightly and then touches his lips to mine for a brief but meaningful kiss. "He does, baby. Are you ready to hear what we're facing?"

I nod, moving both our foreheads. "Let's do this."

He pulls away and kisses the back of my hand before settling them between us. Then he faces Carlisle with a steely expression. "We're ready. Tell us."

Carlisle looks between us both and after I give him a nod, he starts speaking again. "Let me begin by giving you a bit more information I've recently discovered. It's yours to do with as you like." He pauses and Edward nods for him to continue. "It's possible at thirty-eight weeks for Vic to have an amniocentesis where the HLA typing can be done and we will know for sure before the baby's birth whether she will be a match or not."

The room is quiet as we consider this new information, but as I think of what he's saying, I realize that I would never expect Vic to have such a procedure for only a two-week notice.

I immediately start shaking my head. "No, Carlisle. We won't ask that of Vic," I state firmly.

"Bella?" Edward questions from beside me.

I turn to him. "It's not worth it, Edward. And while I'm sure the procedure gets safer every day, there are risks involved and I won't have anything happening to Leah because we asked Vic to undergo an unnecessary procedure." I keep my face firm to let him know I'm serious.

After studying me for several moments, he turns to Carlisle. "We won't ask that of them."

Carlisle focuses back on his file for a second before meeting our eyes again. "Okay, it's your decision. I just wanted you to know that it is an option." He waits for me to acknowledge him with another shake of my head before he continues. "So I'll explain the procedure from the birth of Leah forward?"

At Edward's nod, he starts his explanation. "As soon as we get the results from the cord blood, which I'm confident will be in Jake's favor, we'll need to immediately admit him. He'll spend nine days prior to the transplant in the hospital; during the first seven, he'll be receiving a conditioning regimen. It will consist of two drugs on alternating days. These drugs will serve to destroy his defective marrow and weaken his immune system."

At my gasp, Carlisle stops speaking. "You're going to kill his immune system?" Edward squeezes my hand like a vice between us, letting me know that Carlisle's words are affecting him too.

Carlisle removes his glasses and rubs his eyes then places them back on his nose. "Bella, in order for the new stem cells to be able to do their job, they'll need to replace his old ones. We also have to prevent his immune system from attacking the new cells."

Edward clears his throat. "Carlisle, how much pain is Jake going to be in? Chemo is some serious stuff. Are we … are we going to have to watch him suffer?"

Carlisle's eyes soften. "There will be side effects, but we'll manage them as best as possible. We have anti-nausea drugs we can administer along with a light sedative if it gets to be too much. You know that I'll be as active a participant as possible and the Oncology ward at the hospital is one of the best on the west coast."

"Oncology?" I ask my voice gravelly.

"Yes," Carlisle answers. "Even though Jake doesn't have cancer, they have an excellent transplant team in place along with specialized rooms with pressurized air to remain free of contaminants. Infection will be a big risk and our Oncology department is fully equipped to give him the best possible environment to reduce that risk."

As I absorb his words, it really starts to dawn on me the seriousness of this procedure. In order to cure my precious baby, he's going to be stripped bare only to be built back up again. But we have no choice. In order for him to live a full healthy life, this is the cost.

When neither Edward nor I respond to that statement, Carlisle continues his explanation. "Aside from myself and Alec, Jake will also have an Oncologist and her transplant team on his side. We'll keep a vigilant eye on every step of this procedure and do everything in our power to make it as painless as possible for him. The conditioning regimen and its side effects will be the worst part. They can last well after the regimen is concluded."

"The chemo you mean?" Edward breaks in.

"Yes, the chemo," Carlisle answers him. "After we've introduced the new cells, we'll start him on medications to prevent infections, and another drug that will hopefully prevent graft-versus-host disease. He'll continue this for months after the procedure, maybe even up to a year."

"Graft-versus-host disease?" Edward stops him again and for that, I'm very thankful. At this point, my mind has gone numb, imagining my baby suffering through this ordeal.

Carlisle leans forward, propping his forearms across his desk. "Yes, this will be our biggest fear. If he develops GVHD, as we refer to it, it will mean that the new immune system, via the donated cells, has started attacking his body. We'll monitor him carefully for symptoms. With some cancers, a mild case is a good sign, but with aplastic anemia, a situation such as that is not what we want to see. Our hope is that he shows no signs of GVHD during his recovery."

Silent tears have started falling down my cheeks and with all this information, I finally burst, burying my face in my hands. Strong arms come around and pull me into a warm, hard chest. "Shh, baby, it's okay, it's going to be okay," Edward whispers as he brushes his hand down my hair.

I shake my head vigorously into his chest. Because it's _not_ okay, it's _not_ going to be okay. Our precious, amazing little boy is going to be going through so much and all we'll be able to do is watch him suffer. He has to go through this in order to live and the thought is breaking my heart.

I cry harder.

And the entire time my husband cocoons me in his warmth and holds me close, whispering words of strength. Because that's what we'll need to survive this.

Strength.

We'll need to absorb it from each other and provide it to Jake when he's at his lowest. Strength, support and love are all we can offer to our son when he is fighting the fight of his life.

So I fight.

I fight to rein it in and toughen up. I fight to pull myself together and hear what needs to be said. I fight to prepare myself to do what it takes to be strong for Jake.

Be his strength when he needs it.

Slowly, I start to gather myself together, and my cries lessen. Sobs become tears and tears become sniffles as the fight builds inside me to face what is to come.

I pull back, new resolve in place, and allow Edward to wipe my tears. "Are you okay, baby?" he asks as he runs a tissue over my face.

"I am now," I respond.

And I am.

I'm ready to wage war and win against this disease that has tried to claim our son.

Edward's eyes are moist and the green burns brighter than ever before. "Good," he declares with determination. "We're going to fight this and Jake is going to win."

"He is." Carlisle breaks us from our stare down with a strong, confident voice. "I know this seems like a lot to take in, but the thing you need to understand the most is that Jake is young, resilient and otherwise healthy. He has every reason to beat this and hardly any to not."

I retake Edward's hand and turn to face Carlisle again. "Finish telling us what we need to hear."

He nods before continuing, "The first thirty days post-transplant will be the most crucial. During this time, we'll use many different medications to prevent infections, prevent GVHD and treat any residual side effects from the chemo. He'll be undergoing daily CBC tests to monitor his cell counts. By the end of this period, we'll be hoping to see signs of engraftment to show that the new cells are doing their job. As the cell counts rise, his immune system builds. When he reaches certain numbers, we'll start looking toward going home."

I take a deep breath and release it. "Okay, so Jake will spend at least five weeks in the hospital?"

Carlisle contemplates before answering. "Probably a little longer due to the nine days prior to the transplant. Studies have shown that cord blood stem cells tend to take a little longer before they start engrafting, but that's standard and by the thirty-day mark he should be improving daily." Carlisle looks to Edward. "Have you continued your regular donations?"

"As often as they'll let me come in," he replies.

"Good. Jake will need regular transfusions after the transplant while we wait for the new cells to engraft. I want as much of your blood on hand as possible," Carlisle states emphatically.

"Can you have them allow me to come in more often?" Edward asks.

"The rules for blood donation are very specific, but maybe we should look into platelet donations also. That would give us an alternative and I believe the process for that requires less waiting time," Carlisle explains and Edward nods along encouraging him to check into it. "I'll speak with Alec and get the specifics." Edward stops nodding and his lip curls.

And I can't help it, I burst out laughing. It's an almost maniacal laugh, but I can't help it. Right now, Edward's reaction to Alec was just what I needed to let loose and release some of the tension. I laugh so hard and so long that by the time I'm done, both men are staring at me as if I've lost my mind. Carlisle's mouth is gaping and Edward has his head tilted to the side with a questioning expression.

I simply shake my head. "Don't ask." I chuckle once more and turn back to Carlisle, serious again. "How long? How long can I expect my baby to suffer before he's his usual, happy self again?"

Carlisle sighs. "Bella, I don't want to give you a wrong number, but the typical timeframe will be six months to a year barring no serious complications."

"So a year from now, my son can be healthy and this threat long behind him?" I ask just to hear him say it one more time.

I can live with a year. If that's the number I need to look forward to, then I can deal with it.

I _will_ deal with it.

Carlisle smiles for the first time since we sat down in this office. "Yes, Bella. It is more than highly possible that Jake will be completely cured and this whole scenario behind him in one year."

I release a breath of relief. "I can do a year." I turn to Edward and squeeze his hand. " _We_ can do a year."

"We can," Edward agrees, nodding firmly, and then faces Carlisle again. "Is there anything else we need to be aware of right now?"

"No, I think we've covered the highlights of the procedure. Once Leah is born, we'll need to meet with the Oncology doctor and her team, but for now, I think you have a good understanding of what to expect." Carlisle closes the folder and stands. "Go and enjoy your family before we face this final hurdle."

Edward stands and shakes Carlisle's hand before pulling me from my seat. I walk around and offer Carlisle a warm hug and a quiet "thanks" before we leave the office together, hand in hand.

When we pull from the lot, I realize this is not the direction we should be headed. "Where are we going?" I ask.

Edward places his hand on my thigh and turns to me with a mischievous expression. "I think we need to make a stop at the house first."

My hand lands on top of his, sliding it higher. "I think so, too."

We go home and bury the thoughts of the looming battle, with a battle of our own.

And when we're done, we retrieve our sons and try to prepare them for what's to come.

* * *

 ****I debated whether to include this AN, as the chapter should speak for itself, and I think it did. But when we get to these chapters (soon), we're going to be focusing on how they deal with the situation, more than what is being done to Jake at the time. So, yeah, at this point BxE probably would've known he'd need chemo, but by explaining it to them, I also explained it to you. This is what little Jake will be facing.**

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	33. Intersection

**Fran is my word queen, but all mistakes are mine. Lissa, Judyblue, Michele and Vampiregirl9 make me smile.**

* * *

 **Day 69**

 **EPOV**

Jay's ringtone cuts into the silence of our ride. Bella picks my phone up and swipes before handing it to me. "Dang, bro. You didn't even give us time to pick up the boys. What were you doing, timing us?"

He chuckles. "Nah, I actually have some news to share, but since you're out of court, tell me, how did it go? Are you all Masens now?"

I glance at Bella and the contented smile she's sporting reminds me of the reality. "Hell, yes, man! Signed, sealed and delivered. We are officially the Masen family."

He makes a whooping sound and my smile only grows. "Fuck yes! Man, I'm so fucking happy for you. All of you!"

"I know." I chuckle. "I'm still trying to wrap my mind around it myself."

"You'll get there," he says then clears his throat. "So, that's wonderful news and all, but I have some news of my own."

"Lay it on me, bro," I tell him. "Nothing bad, right?"

"I don't think so and I don't think you will either."

"Well, let's hear it then."

He clears his throat. "Vic had an appointment this morning and her doctor has decided that if she hasn't gone into labor by a week from Monday she's going to induce her first thing that morning."

I'm silent for a moment, allowing myself to process the information. "Is everything okay?" I finally ask.

"Oh, sure. It's only two days shy of the forty-week mark and since we're donating the cord blood, she just wants to have more control," he affirms.

Bella's hand on my thigh grabs my attention and I turn to soothe her worry. "Hold on, Jay, let me fill Bella in on what's happening." I place the phone against my chest and answer her questioning gaze. "They gave Vic a date to be induced." Her eyes widen and fill with anticipation so I give her the date, the one that is the beginning of our fight.

She nods, pondering this new information. "I can see that. They're trying to make sure they have some control of the situation. But either way, the banking center assured us they'd be ready twenty-four/seven."

I pull the phone back to my ear glad that Bella seemed to almost expect the news. "All right, bro, you still there?"

"Sure, man," he says, then sighs. "I hate that the beginning of something amazing for my family is the start of something tough for yours."

I shake my head even though he can't see me. "No way. Even though it'll be tough, the outcome is what's going to make it worthwhile. Don't ever think that we're dreading that day. The sooner it's here, the sooner our son can be better."

Bella's head is bobbing right along with my words. "We can't wait to meet Leah, Jay," she yells so he can hear.

I chuckle and pull the phone away from my ear and hit speaker. "You're on with both of us," I inform him.

"Well hello, Mrs. Masen," he says with a little mischief in his voice, even though she's been that since the day we were married. "I know you can't and as soon as we can we're going to be out there to help in whatever way you need us."

"I know you will, Jay," she says with a smile in her voice. "Don't rush it, though; wait until Vic and the baby are up to the trip."

"Of course." He mocks being affronted. "By the way, congrats to the Masens!" he cheers.

She giggles and my heart swells. "Thank ya, thank ya, thank ya very much," she responds with the worst Elvis impersonation I've ever heard.

Jay chokes out a laugh. "What the fuck was that supposed to be?"

"Can it, bro. We love you and will talk later," I tell him and hit the end button, a smile still plastered on my lips.

"So, a week from Monday, huh?" Bella asks quietly.

"Sounds like it. And then the tests take a couple more days so roughly two weeks." I reach over and take her hand. "I meant what I said to Jay, though, we can never move forward if we don't embrace this for what it is. It's Jake's cure. His chance to be rid of it completely."

She sighs. "You're right. I just don't look forward to watching him suffer."

"Me either, baby. My mind automatically rejects the thought, but he won't stay the way he is now if we avoid it forever. He'll only end up back where he was when you first had to take him to the ER," I reason and deep inside we both know this.

It's just hard to look at him now, doing so well, and think that what he's going to face will take that away. By allowing this transplant, we're taking our seemingly healthy son and putting him through the worst scenario imaginable, but we have to remember that he's _not_ healthy. The medications and transfusions are just a blanket. They're covering up the disease that's trying to ravage him. With this transplant, we'll be wiping it away.

He'll be cured.

Bella tightens her hold on my hand, snapping me from my thoughts. "Do you think he really understands?"

We attempted to explain to the boys about Jake having to go back to the hospital, but how do you make a couple of three-year-olds understand a bone marrow transplant?

I let out a deep, resigned sigh. "No, baby, I don't think so. We'll just have to make sure we're there every moment―good or bad―and let him feel our love."

"We'll be there so much and be so good to him, he'll tire of all the fussing," she says and allows a small smile to form.

"Damn right, baby." I kiss the back of her hand. "I know we planned the celebration party for Sunday, but I say we grab the boys and take them out for pizza today. A private party just for our family."

"I think that sounds perfect," she answers.

We make our way to Charlie and Renee's where the boys are bubbling with excitement even though Jake's been saying his last name is Masen since the wedding.

We're officially Masens now. Every last one of us and my life is almost perfect.

And with Jake cured. It will be.

~~~~~Sharp Left~~~~~

 **Day 73**

The party's in full swing and most of the guests have arrived. Esme was even able to bring a few of Jake's friends from her center and our boys were ecstatic. They're off in the yard playing and have welcomed Seth into the fold with open arms.

This is a good thing, but it also brings about the thoughts of what's to come.

We already know that it's going to be hard to balance being there for Jake and still making sure Seth doesn't feel left out. We've spoken with Esme and have made arrangements for Seth to start daycare as soon as Jake's admitted. It was a hard decision, but one we had to make.

Seth though? He's completely thrilled. And while Jake understands he has to go to the hospital, he's made it clear that he and Seth will both be going to Ms. Esme's when he's out. We didn't have the heart to tell him it would take time.

I survey the yard and notice Bella, Renee and my mom are all huddled together smiling and chatting away. It brings about my own smile.

My relationship with my parents has always been okay, except for the Maria fiasco, but they're about appearances and money. My mom tends to go overboard with the gifts and thinks that equals time and that's not the case. When Jay's boys see her, they want their present, not necessarily her. I'm starting to see a difference, though, since they've learned about Jake.

They've put more effort into the family in general and even coming to Seattle as many times as they have has made a huge difference to me. Sometimes my dad is still an ass, but it comes from a place of love, the only kind he's experienced in giving.

Charlie approaches, holding out a beer. "Pretty nice celebration you got going on here, Edward."

"Yep," I agree, popping off the tab and taking a long gulp. "Something worth celebrating I'd say."

"Look, son," he starts, placing his hand on my shoulder. "You damn sure do have something worth it. I'm so fucking happy for you two, hell, all of you. But you two, you took an unimaginable situation and turned it into a miracle. These boys have it all now and that's due to you and Bella and I couldn't be prouder." He gives me a firm squeeze before dropping his hand.

Feeling a little choked up by his words, I just stand and nod my head quietly. We were lucky. How might this situation have turned out had it not been Bella that was raising my biological son? Where would Seth and I be today?

"I am a lucky man, Charlie. I don't know where I'd be if I were in this situation with anyone else. I don't even want to imagine." I stare out at my boys taking turns on the swing, then let my eyes wander back to the women huddled together. "All I can do is thank my lucky stars that things turned out the way they did."

"I think Bella's a lucky woman, too." He kills his beer and crushes the can with his bare hand. "But that doesn't mean I won't kick your ass if you ever hurt my daughter or grandsons."

I chuckle and meet his eyes. "Never going to happen."

"Let's hope not." He smirks and heads to break up the women's conversation.

No sooner than he speaks, Bella's eyes cut to mine. A smile forms on her lips and she reaches over to give Charlie a hug before starting in my direction.

You know those commercials? The ones where everything around a woman freezes in the frame and the only fluid thing is her. Where every movement is accentuated as if the very air surrounding her is celebrating her existence.

Well, this is my moment like that.

My eyes can only see her and she shines like a diamond in a world of onyx. Her movements are effortless, easy and she beams as she strides across the yard to join me. I'm dumbfounded by my luck, struck stupid by her beauty, in awe that that not only is she mine, she's taken me as hers.

Her hand brushing my cheek breaks me from my vision. "Hey, where did you go?"

I reach for her, wrapping my arms around her and just pulling her close, so close that I can bury my nose in her hair and inhale. "Nowhere, baby. I'm right here."

She settles into my embrace and wraps her arms around me. After a few minutes, she pulls back and looks at me with furrowed brows. "Are you okay?"

I peck her pouty lips. "I am. Just grateful. You can't possibly know what this celebration means to me."

She sighs and brushes a stray lock from my forehead. "Baby, how could you say that? Do you think that it doesn't mean the same for me? Our family is _everything_. I don't even want to imagine a life where _this_ doesn't exist." She motions between us.

"Me either, baby. Never." I punctuate my words with a one more, firm kiss.

This time, a throat clears, making me pull back. "Edward, Bella," my dad says. "Sorry to interrupt, but I've wanted to speak to the two of you together and this is the first chance I've had."

Bella turns beside me and faces my father, cuddling underneath my arm. "Go ahead," she urges him.

He looks around the yard before bringing his eyes back in our direction. "Well, first I want to apologize"―his eyes land on Bella―"to you. Well, to both of you, but more to you, Bella, than anyone. I've let things from the past effect how I've acted in regards to you and for that, I'm sorry. I see now that it was uncalled for. You're nothing like that woman and I held her sins against you."

"What brought this about, Dad?" I ask bewildered at his sudden change in demeanor.

Not that he's been horrible to Bella, but he and I did have a private conversation when he arrived at Disney and realized I hadn't requested a prenup. The discussion was heated, but he backed down and treated Bella with respect during our nuptials.

"Well, son, frankly I just don't want there to be any tension left when this transplant gets underway. It's going to be hard enough for the two of you, my grandsons and the rest of us. Your mother and I want to provide any type of support we can and that's best done with no ill feelings between us. Especially to the mother of my grandsons and my new daughter-in-law." He smiles a small smile in Bella's direction and opens his arms.

She leaves the comfort of my embrace and steps into his. I'm almost choked up watching the scene unfold before me. This is my dad's acceptance of my life and I couldn't be any happier. I watch as they whisper between them and my heart overflows.

Bella steps back wiping the corner of her eye and immediately retakes her spot under my arm. I kiss her forehead. "You okay, baby?"

At her small nod, I turn back to my father. "Dad, I don't know what to say. This gesture means so much to us and I think you'll find, over time, that it was the best decision you've ever made."

He reaches over and grasps my shoulder with a firm grip. "I know it is, son." With one more squeeze, he steps back and looks for his escape. "I'm going to head over and see if the women need any help setting out the food."

Bella leans back and looks to me. "That was … unexpected." She smiles. "But unexpected in the best way. I think I'm going to love your father."

"Just remember who he is and you'll be okay. Even when he's an ass it's usually out of love, and that's how he shows it. Remember, the apple doesn't fall far." I smirk to remind her that, yeah, I might be more like him than she knows.

"I like your kind of ass." Her hand lands on my real ass and gives it a firm squeeze. "And your ass."

I chuckle and maneuver to where her hand slides away. "Baby, there're kids here."

Her eyes widen. "Oops, sorry." She buries her face in my shoulder and snickers quietly.

"I don't think you are." I tickle her sides lightly, eliciting more giggles from her.

When she finally gets ahold of herself, we make our way over to where almost everybody is gathered and ready to eat.

"Edward, could you call the kids and get them to wash up?" Esme asks as Bella and I approach.

"Sure," I reply, then place my two fingers in my mouth and let out a loud whistle.

All the kids stop what they're doing and turn to me. "Come on, kids. Let's get washed up so we can eat!"

A small herd of boys come trudging through the yard in our direction. "What's to eat," Seth asks as soon as he's close enough.

"Daddy made lots of your favorites," Bella answers him, then addresses the whole group. "Okay, we're going to go inside, get in line and wash up so you can eat. Everybody got that?"

"Yeah," they all chant at once.

Esme joins her and she and Bella lead the boys inside while the rest of us take a seat and wait for their return. Since there were extra kids this time, I set them a special table just to the side of the big one and another smaller table to hold the food and drinks.

By the time everyone's settled in place, the herd is rushing back to the yard with the women trailing behind them. The adults stay seated as Bella, Alice and Esme help them to fix their drinks and plates. Once that's accomplished, I give the nod for the adults to help themselves.

When everyone is finally seated, I stand and clear my throat. "I'd like to thank everyone for coming over today to celebrate with us." I reach for Bella's hand and pull her up beside me before leading us over to where Jake and Seth are sitting.

"We've been a family since the day Seth arrived in Seattle, but this week, we were gifted with a family name and both of these boys gained their absent parent in a legal sense. We couldn't be any prouder than to present to you, the Masens." I wave my hand over the four of us and our friends and family break out into applause.

"Hear, hear," Charlie hails, holding up his beer before taking a gulp.

"I second that," Jasper chimes.

Sam, who's seated on the ground beside Jake, lets out a howl as if he's in agreement, too.

I pat his head. "Sorry, buddy. You're a Masen, too." His tail wags and his ears perk up at the news.

Seth jumps from his seat and starts bowing as if he's the star of the show. "Come on, Jake. Take a bow," he insists, already pulling Jake up from his seat.

The kids at the table are laughing and cheering them on while they ham it up for the crowd. Finally, Seth stops bowing and takes Jake's hand. "This is my brother, Jake Masen." He waves his hand in his direction.

Then Jake takes over, grabbing Bella's hand. "And this is my mama, uh …" He pulls her down to whisper in her ear. They have a quiet talk then he addresses us again. "My mama, Bella Masen."

All the adults hoot and holler at his proclamation and I'm just so overflowing with love that I reach down and grab them both, lifting them to my hip. "I love you, Masen Dudes."

Arms wrap around my neck and another set wraps around us all.

We stand and absorb this celebration for one slight minute before I put the boys down and allow them to rejoin their friends. When we walk back to the table, both Renee and my mom come over and give us teary congratulations.

Then we then settle in and enjoy great food, easy conversation and family.

By the time the cake is brought out, my cell rings from my pocket. I already know who it is. There was no way we were making it through this party without a call from Jay, since they couldn't be here.

I stand and step away to take his call. "You just couldn't stand us having all the fun without you, huh?" I chuckle into the line.

"Edward," he says, his voice serious, no sign of the light-hearted, fun guy I know.

"What's the matter?" I immediately start to freak and rush back to Bella, giving her shoulder a squeeze to let her know something's up.

"It's Vic. She's gone into labor. We're on the way to the hospital now."

* * *

 ****This is a huge THANK YOU update! I hit 3k reviews just now and I wanted to show my appreciation. Hope you enjoyed it :) Next chapter is tough.**

 ****I'm honored that SLT was nominated for Drop Everything Fic in the TwiFic Fandom Awards, so if it is your drop everything read, I'd love if you gave it vote … daily, til Sunday ;)**

 **Update is next Wednesday, but you don't want to hurry it.**


	34. Pavement Ends

**Fran makes every chapter better, but all mistakes are mine cause I like to 'adjust' ;) Michele, Vampiregirl93, Lissa and Judyblue preread this.**

* * *

 **Day 77**

 **BPOV**

 _-9_

Today is day negative nine.

Leah has entered this world and she is the most beautiful thing. She's the life giver. Her umbilical cord cells will save my son.

Our entire journey has led to this.

Today Jake is admitted to the hospital where he will have his first round of chemo.

He'll receive two different drugs, on alternating days, for the next seven days. And then for two more days, his body will rest from the abuse it has suffered. Transplant day is known as day zero, and then we count forward. This will be the measure of my life until my son is completely cured.

 _-8_

Drug one was introduced yesterday and aside from a low-grade fever and extra sleep, he seems to be doing okay. Today, we meet drug number two.

It's early morning and I sit, watching him sleep. Looking at him now, it's easy to think it's not going to be bad. Round one down and my tough little man handled it well. But I know better, the doctors have warned; we've only just begun to rip his immune system to shreds.

"Morning, baby. How's he doing?" Edward asks quietly as he breezes into the room. He wasn't able to stay last night since he had to take care of Seth.

"Same as last night. He's mostly slept since you left," I assure him.

He comes over and gives me a light peck and takes a seat on the hard wooden arm of my chair that's pushed as close to Jake's bedside as I can get it. "What time will they be in to administer today's round?"

"Dr. Cheney said she'd be in by lunch. Carlisle will probably stop by before then, though. Was Seth okay with going to Esme's again today?" I'm concerned he's going to feel excluded.

"Pfft, he woke me this morning, ready to go. He has friends, remember?" He lifts a brow in my direction.

"Did he ask about Jake and me last night?" I probe.

"We talked about you and Jake before bed, but he understands that Jake won't be home for a while." He rubs the back of his neck. "Well, at least he says he does. I think as time goes on that he's going to start getting a little more insistent because, how do you explain that it'll be _over a month_ to a little kid?"

I take a deep breath and release it. "I don't know and I don't want to leave Jake … ever, but I also know that Seth needs me to be there for him, too. I don't know how we're going to balance what's best for them both." Tears rush to my eyes, but I don't allow them to fall.

He reaches out with his soothing touch and pulls me close. "We don't have to figure it all out today, Bella. One day at a time that's all we can do and we have help. Mom and Dad are here, your family is here and Jay and Vic will be here within a few weeks. We'll just do what we can and make sure they both know they're loved every single day."

I close my eyes and soak him in, revel in everything he brings to my life. He's going to be my rock through all of this and I don't know if I could've faced it without him. "You're right," I say on an exhale of breath.

He kisses my forehead and leans back to look at me. "I know it's not enough, but it's all we've got."

"I love you," I tell him quietly, looking deep into those simmering, green eyes.

"Love you," he says with a peck. "Now, what about breakfast?"

The guilt creeps in. "I'll eat with Jake. Whatever they bring him is good for me."

He nods easily. "Whatever suits you, baby."

A few hours later, Jake is awake, but still with a slight fever. "Daddy," he calls in his scratchy, barely used voice. "Where's Seth?"

My heart breaks.

Edward gets up, slides on the bed beside Jake and runs a hand over his copper curls. "Dude, remember we discussed that Seth would start going to Ms. Esme's?" Jake barely nods his head. "Well, I dropped him off this morning."

"So he playin' with my friends and not me?" he asks, eyes sad.

I lean closer to him and take his hand. "Sweetie, no. Seth loves you, you're his brother. Remember we talked about this? Seth won't be able to come see you very often even though he really wants to be here."

Jake takes a deep breath and lets it out, his eyes on the blanket covering his body. "Okay."

Edward's eyes meet mine and with a small shake of his head, he reminds me that this is the small stuff. The things that won't matter in the long run. We have so many larger hills to climb.

 _-7_

"My tummy hurts, Mama," Jake cries, hunching over and grabbing his stomach.

"I know, baby," I soothe, rubbing a cool cloth over his head. "Do you think you might be sick?"

Edward's already grabbed the basin and is standing at the ready. Jake hasn't thrown up yet, but we know it's coming. We're lucky that we've had a couple days in the clear. The fever has caused his lips to become sore and cracked as it is.

Suddenly, he lurches up from the pillow. Edward's fast though, and has the basin beneath him as he empties his stomach. He continues to retch and dry heave even when there's nothing left. The whole time my heart is breaking, but I sit there and rub his back in soothing circles, trying to assure him that I'm here.

 _-6_

"Bella, you have to go home and sleep, get a good night's rest," Edward insists after I've refused to cooperate.

We had originally agreed to take turns staying with Jake as much as possible, but my baby's sick, he needs his Mama. No way am I going to leave for a whole night. There's no end to the things that could go wrong in my absence.

I cross my arms and stiffen my shoulders. "No, Edward. He needs me here. I'm not leaving."

"You don't think he needs me?" he asks, using the guilt card very effectively. "What about Seth? He doesn't need you, is that it? He hasn't seen you for almost four days."

Tears prick my eyes and I want to curl into a ball and cry. "I miss him," I whisper.

Edward steps closer and encloses me in his arms. "I know, baby. He misses you, too. You need to leave this place for a little while. I know Jake's your baby, but he's also mine. I can take care of him, Bella. I swear I will."

I finally give in and nod into his chest. While he holds me close, I allow a few tears to fall for the unfairness of it all.

 _-5_

I'm at the stove making bacon and eggs for Seth and me when he comes down the stairs. "Mornin', Mama. I smell bacon?"

I chuckle. "You sure do. Go ahead and climb up to the bar. This will be ready soon," I instruct.

"I like bacon," he observes as he climbs. "Jake does, too. He gettin' to eat bacon at the hospital?"

My shoulders sag at the question. How do I answer that? "He's not feeling up to eating much, sweetie, but he can have bacon if he wants some." I try to smile as I explain without lying to Seth. At some point, he'll get to visit Jake and he'll see how sick he is, so I don't want him assuming everything is okay.

Seth looks down at the bar top. "I miss him."

I lift the last of the bacon from the pan, turn off the flame and go to him, immediately putting my arms around him. "Oh, honey, I know you do. He misses you too, so very much."

"When he comin' home?" he asks into my chest where I've buried his little face.

I pull back and look into his sad, brown eyes. "It's going to be a while longer, baby. Jake has to be well before he can come home." I step back and try to lighten the mood. "Now, you ready for that bacon?"

"I guess," he replies, his voice more melancholy than it was earlier.

"Hey, are you excited to go to Ms. Esme's?" I ask, trying to hype him back up. "Aren't you having fun with your new friends?"

I go back to the stove and plate him some eggs and bacon, waiting to hear his response. "I do like them, but I like playin' wif Jake more," he says quietly.

I place his plate in front of him and reach over and kiss him on his head. "I know, sweetie, I know."

Tears of anger burn my eyes.

Anger at what this disease is doing to my boys.

Both of them.

 _-4_

Jake's condition is deteriorating rapidly. He has blisters on his lips, nausea to the point that he's being fed with a tube to keep him nourished, his hair looks lifeless on his head and some parts of his skin are covered in a rash.

It's almost too much to bear when I look at him. They're keeping him on pain meds and it seems to be doing the trick, but he can't be kept too far under as he needs his reflexes when he can't keep the nausea at bay.

After today, it's just one more day.

One day.

I try to keep that chant going in my head. One more day and this will be over, one more day. But it won't. Although the transplant itself won't cause any side effects, the symptoms he's experiencing now won't just disappear with the end of treatment.

No, they'll remain and continue to ravage his body.

"Hey, honey," Mom says as she and Beth enter the room. "How are you holding up?" She comes straight over and encases me in her warm, motherly embrace.

I want to fall apart in her arms. It would be so easy to give into the turmoil that races through me at this moment, but I can't. I have to be strong for my boy, even though he'd probably never know if I did fall apart since he spends so much time sleeping or in pain.

"As well as can be expected I guess," I answer her.

When she steps back, Beth leans down and places a soft kiss on my cheek. "We'll make it through this," she assures as she pulls back and takes a seat in a spare chair.

"I know we will. It's even harder than I imagined, though."

"Oh, baby. Of course it is," my mom says. "How could your mind ever imagine this?" She waves her hand over my precious little boy who's curled under his covers. "It couldn't. It rejects the very thought."

The opening door has all three of our heads turning. Edward comes into the room and smiles when he sees both of our mothers already here. "Hey, Moms!" he greets them enthusiastically.

"My boy," Beth says as she rises to meet him with a hug and kiss on the cheek.

He hugs her heartily and moves onto my mom to give her a kiss on the cheek. "What a nice surprise, you're both here so early."

"Actually," Beth starts, "there's a reason for our visit." She fidgets with her hands before continuing. "Renee and I have decided that you two need to get out of here for a little bit." She turns and points her finger at me. "Especially you."

When I open my mouth to protest, she holds up her hands. "No, young lady. You've been here day in and day out nearly nonstop. It's time to take a little time for yourselves. Go out, eat lunch, go by the house, take a shower―"

"Ease some tension," my mom interjects.

Beth rolls her eyes, but keeps on. "Spend some time together, just the two of you to decompress. Get away for just a little while." Her hand is on her hip and her brows are arched high.

This is going to be a battle so I square my shoulders. "I can't."

Edward, who had a hopeful expression allows his shoulders to deflate. If I didn't know better, I'd think he was in on the ambush. But he isn't, he was just as surprised as I was about the intervention. I guess he agrees with their point, though.

My mom kneels down beside my chair and takes my hands in hers. "Baby, no one is asking you to run away and forget about Jake. All we're asking is that you take a few hours and get yourself together." She reaches up and brushes a curl behind my ear. "You look as if you're going to break down at any minute. As if you think you need to be everything for Jake, when in all actuality, he has a whole family who loves him dearly and can help you through this. It's only begun, honey, don't try and shut us out now. Take what we're offering and embrace it. Revel in it. And then come back here _better_ for Jake."

I listen to her words and I hear what she's saying, but it's so hard to let go. To leave him in someone else's care and go when I have nothing out there that needs me more, aside from Seth and I'd like to think he understands.

Edward comes over then and squats down at my other knee. "I think our moms are right."

That's all he says aloud, but his eyes say so much more. He needs this, too. He needs me to leave with him and allow myself a reprieve from the pain, if only for a little while.

I reach for his hand and give it a light squeeze. "Two hours tops," I finally agree. "That's it."

He smiles a small smile at my compliance. "Thank you, baby."

"We'll go after Dr. Cheney comes," I add.

"Works for me." He squeezes my hand and stands.

.

.

"What sounds good for lunch?" Edward asks as he pulls from the hospital lot.

"Can you just make us some sandwiches at home?"

He brings our joined hands up and kisses the back of mine. "Sure, sounds good."

After a lunch of hot ham and cheese sandwiches, I go upstairs to take a shower. Once my clothes are removed, I stand under the scalding spray. It's here where I allow all my grief to consume me.

Tears mix with water as I slump down the wall of the shower and let all my heartache flow from me. Strong arms pull me into a bare chest and tighten around me. Squeezing so tight that I feel his love and strength flow into me.

I allow the tears to fall and flow down his skin only to be washed away. And when I've poured all my fear and anger out through my tears, I lift my eyes and attack with my lips.

I consume him just as the grief from my son's pain has consumed me.

 _-3_

Finally, his treatment is completed. The horrible torture that my son has been through is over. He'll have to endure no more. He has patches of red all over and nausea still racks his weary body almost hourly.

The last bit of poison entered his system today.

 _-2_

For the second time, our moms have sent me away.

This time, we're going to pick up Seth and enjoy a lunch at the park. Give him the benefit of both of us at the same time. Something he hasn't had in over a week.

Edward walks in to get Seth and when he comes out and sees me sitting in the car waiting, he breaks into a huge smile and starts running. I open the door and then my arms to greet him enthusiastically.

"Mama," he exclaims as he wraps his arms around me tight. "What you doin' here?" Then his brows crinkle. "Where Jake then?"

"Jake's still at the hospital, buddy," Edward explains walking up behind him.

"Who's there wif him?" He holds his hands up, looking confused.

"Nana and grandma are there. They're taking good care of him," Edward explains trying to herd him into his car seat.

"Why can't I go then?" He pouts.

"Dude, I told you I'll talk to the doctor and try to see when you can visit, okay? You can't come unless they give the all-clear." Edward tries to soothe him, but he's having none of it.

"Other people gets to see him. Why can't I?" he demands, arms crossed, cheeks puffed.

Edward buckles his car seat and takes his time walking to the driver's seat. He has no answers to Seth's question and neither do I. We aren't prepared for this. We have no answers that a three-year-old might find acceptable or understand.

"Mama," Seth says before Edward makes it around. "Why can't I?"

Taking a deep breath to prolong the moment, I release it and try to come up with something. "Sweetie, when people visit, we take the chance of Jake catching something." I turn in my seat so he can see me. "You know like a cold? If Jake got a cold right now, it would be very bad."

"I not gots no cold, though," he says with a shrug and my heart rips in two.

Edward slides in and catches Seth's proclamation. "Seth, you can't go see Jacob right now and that's final." He's using his stern father voice and my heart rips even more.

Seth crosses his arms over his chest and looks out the window without saying another word to either of us.

He's already feeling excluded and confused, and we're still only at the beginning.

- _1_

Today Jake rests.

Tomorrow, we begin the process of putting him back together.

* * *

 **See you Tuesday!**


	35. Wrong Way

**Fran makes it pretty and Lissa, Judyblue, Michele and Vampiregirl93 give me advice.**

 *****From this point forward, I'll start notating the days since the transplant; since day zero. At the top of each chapter in bold will still be the days since ExB met. This will help give us a timeline on Jake's progress.**

 *****You can go to bethematch dot org to learn how to become a bone marrow donor. Many people never find their match and its a simple process to add yourself to the registry.**

* * *

 **Day 86**

 **EPOV**

 _Day Zero_

Today is the beginning.

Day fucking zero.

The day we start to put Jake back together again.

I've had to sit here and watch my whole family suffer for nine long days, and it's not like I'm not suffering too, but their pain is paramount to mine.

I watch as Jake retches daily and can barely hold his eyes open. His skin is covered in patches of red and his lips are cracked and dry. He looks so small and frail lying in that bed that I want to cocoon him in my arms and keep all the doctors away, but I can't. I have to let them near him and watch as they administer things that serve only to make him sicker.

My fucking heart beats out of my chest to see his condition deteriorate daily.

I watch as my wife crumbles before my eyes. She pretends to be okay when really she's anything but. I have to fight to make her leave his side while she wars within herself over how to prioritize between our sons.

My fucking soul is tortured right beside her.

I watch my other son rage because he can't see Jake and I rage because I have to keep breaking his heart. The days of waking me up ready to go to Esme's are behind us. Now he just wants to see his brother.

My fucking mind is raging, too.

Dr. Cheney and the transplant team enter the room and start setting up. Compared to what he's already been through, this part is easy. New medicines will start, but they'll help his little body fight.

As her team sets everything up, Dr. Cheney comes to speak to Bella and me. "Do you have any questions about what we'll be doing today?"

I stay quiet and let Bella lead this show, placing my hand on her back in support. "How long will the procedure take?" she asks.

"The transplant will be over in less than an hour. One of the drugs used this past week was to prevent his body from rejecting the new cells. After the transplant is complete, we'll start him on a new regimen that will prevent his new immune system from attacking the cells already present in his body," Dr. Cheney informs us.

Bella nods, taking in all of this information. "So no side effects like from the chemo?"

Dr. Cheney starts shaking her head and touches Bella's arm. "No, Bella. Nothing from this point forward that we administer will intentionally hurt him, but we do have to worry about infections and watch for signs of GVHD, even though he'll be receiving medications to help prevent it."

Bella takes a deep breath and looks to me. "Do you have any questions?"

I caress her back and turn to Dr. Cheney. "How much longer can we expect the chemo side effects to torture our son?"

Dr. Cheney sighs and clutches Jake's chart closer to her chest. "I'm so sorry Edward, Bella, but they can last weeks longer. They can also start to get less in just a few days. Right now, it's a watch and see situation. We'll take blood samples daily from here forward and steadily monitor his counts. He'll also receive many transfusions in the next couple of weeks."

I give her a slight nod to let her know that although it isn't the answer I wanted, she did answer my question. "How long before our other son can visit?"

She tilts her head to the side and sorrow passes through her eyes for one moment before clearing. "Again, that will be a wait and see. When we start to see some improvement, then he should be able to visit." At Bella's sigh of relief, she holds up her finger. "But, we'll need to take every precaution possible before his visit. We'll talk more about that when the time comes."

Bella sucks her lips between her teeth and shakes her head up and down. "Okay, we can work with that." She glances at me and I nod. "We're ready then."

"Let's do this," I second her agreement.

Fucking finally.

The beginning of Jake's cure.

 _Day 2_

As I'm leaving the hospital for the night, a lone reporter stops me before I can make it to my car. "Mr. Masen, I'm Garrett Taylor. _The Seattle Times_ is doing an update piece on your son and I'd like to know if you're willing to contribute?" he asks.

Would I?

I slow my steps and stop to consider this request. I'd rather have the correct information out than a bunch of bullshit reporting when it comes to my son.

"What would you like to know?" I ask crossing my arms over my chest.

He takes out a small tape recorder and hits a button. "It's our understanding that your son, Jake, received his transplant a couple days ago. Is that correct?" Garrett asks first.

"He did," I answer simply.

"And can you tell us what his condition is now?" he asks next.

"Jake's been through a lot in the past week and a half, but for now he's still holding strong," I answer.

"What about your other son, Seth. This must be hard on him, too," he observes.

 _If he only knew_.

Without the actual physical pain, this has been almost as hard on Seth. He doesn't understand and I'm at a loss to find the right words to make it better for him.

I clear my throat before I speak. "It has been hard on Seth, but we're doing everything we can to make it easier. We have a huge support system with our families and we make sure he knows he's loved." I have to stop and swallow down the lump in my throat. "His biggest question is when he can see his brother, and right now, I don't have that answer."

Garrett stops his recorder. "Are you sure you're okay with this, Mr. Masen? I know this must be a very tough situation for all of you."

"It is," I tell him. "I'd rather you print the truth than some half-ass story that has no sympathy for the pain my family is suffering."

"So you're okay to continue then?" he asks. At my nod, he hits the button again. "Can you give us a timeline on Jake's recovery?"

I take a deep breath and blow it out in a huff. "We're looking at a year long term. Short term, hopefully in the next fifteen or so days we'll start to see engraftment."

"Engraftment?" he repeats, looking for me to explain.

"That's when we'll see signs that the new cells have started to make more healthy cells," I explain.

"Is there anything specific you'd like to get out to the public?" he asks, closing out the interview.

I think it over and decide this is another chance to help other people like Jake by getting the message out. "Yes, I'd like to ask everyone to get tested. The process is simple and you could save a life by being a match. Many people never find one." I then remember the most important thing. "My wife and I would also like to beg for privacy during this situation. We hope people can respect that and allow us to deal with this as a family. We'll gladly inform you as Jake progresses."

Garrett turns the recorder off and holds out his hand. "Thank you, Mr. Masen. We'll honor your request and I'll leave my card so you may contact me personally in the future. No one from _The Times_ will bother you again."

I shake his hand and retrieve the card he offers. "Thank you, Garrett. I'll be in touch in a few weeks."

 _Day 5_

For the first time since the transplant, I was finally able to talk Bella into going home. She put up a small fuss, but also wanted to see Seth for herself. She's spent more time with Jake and the guilt burns her from the inside, but the choices she faces are impossible.

So I sit here, holding my son's tiny hand in mine while he sleeps. He's peaceful right now, but I know in a little while he'll wake to another round of dry heaves and ChapStick.

I jerk my head up at Jake's sudden movement on the bed; he's sitting upright, hand clutching his stomach. Grabbing the basin, I make sure it's positioned where he needs it. After several minutes of rubbing his back while he gags up nothing, he finally calms enough for me to wipe his face.

"Are you okay, buddy?" I ask as I brush the cloth over his forehead.

He gives me a small nod. "Yeah, Daddy, I all right."

It breaks my heart to hear his small voice after such an awful experience. "Do you want me to get your toothbrush?"

Again, he gives me a small nod.

After retrieving a clean basin and a cup of water, I return to his side carrying his toothbrush with paste on it already. "Be careful and don't swallow any water or you'll probably get sick again," I advise.

He brushes his teeth just enough to get the nasty taste from his mouth and rinses just once. "That better, dude?" I ask, taking the items back from him.

"Yeah, Daddy, my mouth tastes better. Can I have some ChapStick now?" he asks, puppy eyes in full effect when there's no need whatsoever.

"Of course you can. What flavor you want this time?"

"Chocolate," he states firmly.

I pull out his bedside drawer ad start digging around only to find that his chocolate one is empty. "Aw, buddy," I say opening the top and showing him there's none in the tube. "You're all out of chocolate. What other flavor do you want?"

His little eyes fill with tears and the big fat drops spill over his cheeks. "Chocolate is my favorite," he cries and I'm broken, bleeding on the floor.

I crawl up on the bed beside my broken-hearted son and hold him close. "I'm sorry, dude. I promise to get you more."

He starts shaking his head frantically between tears. "No, Mama said they not sell chocolate no more right now. I want more chocolate."

"Shh, it's okay. Daddy has you. I'll get you some chocolate," I soothe as I rock him back and forth until he goes limp in my arms.

When he's settled back in, I grab my phone and head straight to eBay.

 _Ten tubes of chocolate ChapStick coming right up._

 _Day 10_

Bella and I are sitting in Jake's room watching him sleep. It's all he seems to do these days, but I'll gladly take more sleeping, less retching any day. His lips are looking more normal and some of the patches on his skin are fading.

Now it's just a waiting game.

Just as I'm about to suggest going out and getting some dinner, something on the TV catches my attention. I grab the remote and turn up the volume.

 _"As reported earlier this week by_ The Seattle Times _, three-year-old Jacob Masen―last name previously Swan―is currently in the process of receiving a bone marrow transplant at Seattle General Hospital. The Masens were previously featured in_ The Seattle Times _when we learned he and his brother, Seth Masen were switched at birth. Bella Swan became aware of the switch when she discovered her son Jacob was sick and her blood type did not match._

 _We've also discovered that Edward Masen and Bella Swan have since shared a home in Seattle and just recently have gotten married, each legally adopting their own biological children."_

As soon as the bitch goes into our personal stuff, I hit the power button and toss the remote back on the end table, looking straight at Bella to make sure she's okay.

"Wow, that was … unexpected," she says, looking shell-shocked.

"See, this is why I stopped and spoke with Garrett. I wanted the facts out there about Jake, not all this get-into-our-personal-business-shit," I huff out.

She comes over and props herself on my knee. "Hey, baby, it's okay. It is public knowledge that we're married. It's no big deal as long as we aren't hounded by the press," she soothes while brushing my hair off my forehead.

"I know, baby." I sigh and peck her pouty lips. "Why do you always make so much sense?"

She gives me a cheeky wink. "Because you just got lucky like that."

And I know I fucking did.

Too fucking lucky.

 _Day 15_

Dr. Cheney was in this morning and informed us that Jake has developed a slight infection. Words like "just a small one" and "changed his antibiotics" were thrown around and she seemed hopeful that it would clear up rather quickly.

"Hopefully within a week or so, we'll start to see some signs of engraftment," she'd said.

"His counts are improving," she'd said.

So all sounded good except this damn infection.

It took the wind right out of our sails.

The longer it takes Jake to start recovering, the more we have to torture our boys. Seth's still angry that he can't see his brother and I've tried to come up with a way to make it better for him. Maybe it'll pay off soon.

Jay's ringtone blares from my pocket. "What's up, bro? How's my favorite niece doing?"

"She's amazing and getting bigger every day. In fact, that's what I was calling for, besides an update on Jake. We're looking at making the trip out next weekend. That good for you?" he asks into the line.

I stand and motion to Bella as I walk out into the hall. "Hell yeah, man. I can't wait to meet her. And you know we'd love to have you here."

"Yeah, I thought that Vic could be a big help with Seth. It has to be hard on those two, being apart like this," he says with a sigh.

I run my hand through my hair and lean against the wall. "Like you wouldn't believe. Seth's just angry at this point. He's fucking mad as hell that he can't see Jake and I'm at a loss as to how to handle it."

"Shit, man. That must be hard. How much longer until he can see him?" he asks.

"At least a week. Dr. Cheney said as soon as she sees signs of engraftment, she'll permit a visit from Seth and it can't come soon enough," I answer.

"I hope it's soon then," he says.

"Me too," I agree. "So, do you guys want to stay at the house when you come? I think it'd be better for Leah. Seth can share his room with your boys while you and Vic take the guest room."

"You sure?" he asks. "We're coming for you so whatever makes things easier is what we want."

I let out a deep breath. "Yes, I'm sure. Maybe having Jared and Joseph around will help."

"I sure hope so. We can stay for a little while if you need us. You know that, right?"

"Thanks, man," I say sincerely, knowing that having my brother and his family here is definitely going to help.

"So what's the update?" he asks. "I mean I read an article on Facebook the other day, but figured I better get it firsthand."

I almost choke on my saliva. "What?"

"Facebook," he says slowly like I'm a dumbass.

"I know what the fuck it is, but what do you mean an article?"

"You know how people share stuff? Well, I guess a post from Seattle is circulating from a news station or some shit. Had a lot of likes and shares, though," he observes as if it's all cool.

"What the fuck ever. I don't like people commenting on our life as if they know jack shit, but it is what it is, I guess." I shrug my shoulders in the empty hallway.

"Aw, fuck 'em, man," he says and I can picture him waving his hand. "None of those people mean shit. It wasn't a bad article, just more about you two getting married than what's going on with Jake."

"Yeah, probably the same shit they played here. Oh well. Fuck it," I decide. "So anyway, Jake's doing okay, better than last week. He has a minor infection, but she says it shouldn't be an issue."

"Infection sounds like it could be serious, bro," he comments.

I sigh, trying to push that shit out of my mind. "I'm going to go with what the doctor said. It's all I've got right now and she isn't concerned so far."

"Okay, keep me informed if anything changes and tell little man that his Unca Jay will be there next weekend. I'll text you our flight times and get a rental so you won't have to worry about driving us," he tells me.

"Sounds good, man. Can't wait," I say. "Tell Vic and the kids we love them."

"Will do, bro. See you soon."

 _Day 20_

When I enter Jake's room, he's sitting up in bed and actually smiles when he sees me. I've noticed a lot of improvement over the past couple of days. "Hey, dude, how are you feeling?" I ask as I approach with a wide smile on my face.

"I feel better," Jake answers with a small nod.

I scoot up next to him on the bed. "I have something for you."

He lifts his brows and his hands at the same time. "Where it at?"

I chuckle and pull my phone from my pocket. Bella quietly joins us on Jake's other side while I pull up what I want Jake to see. Hitting play, I hand the phone over for Jake to hold.

Seth's voice fill the quiet anticipation of the room. "Hey, brother. I know you don't feel good, but I miss you. Daddy said I can make videos for you and I did."

"Look, Mama, Seth sent me a video," Jake says, showing Bella the phone while Seth's voice still plays in the background.

"He sent you a bunch of videos, sweetie," Bella informs him. "There's more to watch after this one and if you feel up to it, you can make one for him, too."

"I can?" Jake asks excitedly.

"You sure can, dude," I answer.

He starts nodding enthusiastically and focuses back on Seth's face. My eyes find Bella's over Jake's head and the relief is evident between us both.

Our boy is getting better every day.

 _Day 23_

Dr. Cheney enters the room all smiles today. "Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Masen. Good news." She beams as she approaches us.

Bella and I both perk up and stand to greet her. "Morning," Bella says. "News?"

"Good news?" I repeat.

She's already nodding. "His counts are exactly what we've been waiting for. Although he has had this count at times, he's finally maintained it."

"And does that mean what I think it means?" Bella asks.

"Yes," She smiles. "His absolute neutrophil count has been 500 or more for three days." She stops and takes a deep breath. "This means he's showing signs of engraftment."

With that news, the smile that breaks out on my wife's face is enough to lighten the heavy fog we've been under. She turns and jumps into my arms crying tears of joy.

It isn't until she steps away and wipes my cheek that I realize, I was crying right along with her.

 _Day 25_

Fucking finally!

My two boys can see each other again.

We're in the car on the way to the hospital and Seth is talking a mile a minute, his excitement is bubbling over. He can't wait to see his brother again.

Jake's finally started to improve physically from the chemo. He still has the occasional bout of nausea, but he's eating on his own again. His chocolate ChapStick has soothed his lips and the rash has finally faded from his skin. He's spending more hours awake each day and even going to the bathroom on his own now.

Walking into the hospital with Seth holding my hand is the most exhilarating feeling after so much suffering. He's still jabbering away as we make our way up to Jake's room. I took special care to make him take a shower and rub disinfectant on his hands and arms.

Right as we get to the door of Jake's room, I hear Bella's voice. "Who are you?" she asks someone I can't see yet.

As soon as I've stepped into the doorway, Seth breaks free and runs straight to the bed, climbing up in the chair beside Jake.

The woman, whose back is to me, follows his movement with her head.

Wondering who the fuck is interfering with my sons' reunion, I step past her and to Bella's side. Placing a supportive hand on my wife's hip, I turn to face the interloper.

Every muscle in my body tenses.

* * *

 ***ducks***

 **See you Monday!**


	36. Keep Out

**Fran is my polisher, but all mistakes are mine. Lissa, Michele and Vampiregirl93 read for me.**

* * *

 **Day 112**

 **EPOV**

 _Day 25_

"Maria," I snarl.

Bella's head snaps in my direction. "What?" she asks, eyes wide.

I kiss her. "Don't you worry, baby. I'll handle this."

Walking over, I grab the bitch's arm and march her straight from the room and away from our sons.

As soon as the door clicks shut, I drag her down the hallway a few feet and stop. Snapping her around to face me, I remove my hand immediately. "Just what in the fuck do you think you're doing in Jake's room?" I demand with a sneer curling my lip.

"Edward," she says, placing her hand on her chest and tilting her head. My name is a plea from her lips, a plea for sympathy.

This bitch is in the wrong place for that. "I fucking said _what are you doing here_?"

Wetness gathers in her eyes and if she thinks for one moment that will make a difference with me, she's lost her fucking mind. I start stalking for the nurse's station down the hall, her footsteps beating a hasty path behind me.

"Edward, wait. What are you doing?" she calls trying to keep up.

I stop and snap my head in her direction. "I'm having you removed and banned from this hospital."

She gasps, her crocodile tears drying almost instantly. "How dare you. You can't do that! My son is here."

When the words _my_ and _son_ fall from her lips, every muscle in my body tenses and I step forward ready to strangle the life from this bitch. " _Your_ son?" I ask my voice deadly calm, held in check by pure willpower alone.

"Y … Yes," she finally answers, pretending not to be intimidated, but she'd better be.

I'm so fucking close to exploding in this instance that I'm not sure she'd survive the backlash. " _You_ don't have a son, Maria. Those boys in there"―I point back toward the direction of Jake's room, my face just inches from hers―"they're mine … _Bella's and mine, they're our sons_. Emotionally as well as _legally_ ," I add, just to dig the knife in deeper.

Her hand flies back, but before it can make contact with my face, I grab her wrist in a tight hold. "Don't even think about it, bitch."

A throat clearing disturbs the deathly silence that follows my words.

Maria's head snaps to the direction from which the sound came, her shoulders slumping in relief. "Thank goodness you're here. This man is trying to assault me," she cries to the yet unknown entity. I've not taken my eyes from her face.

"Looks to me like you were the one about to assault someone, ma'am," the throat-clearer utters with authority.

My grimace becomes a smirk. Tossing her hand to the side, I turn to greet Emmett. "Detective, I'd like to press charges."

He steps forward and removes his cuffs. "Please turn around and place your hands on the wall," he directs Maria while I cross my arms and watch the scene unfold with mild satisfaction.

"What? No, I didn't do anything. You saw him with his hand restraining me. I'm the one who should be pressing charges." Her hands are flying all over as she tries to make her case.

"That's not what I saw. I witnessed you attempt to hit Mr. Masen and since he's pressing charges, my hands are tied. Now, if you'll turn around and place your hands on the wall we can get this done and you'll be out in a couple of hours." He steps forward and guides her into position before cuffing her wrists behind her back.

As he leads her away, I can only stand and watch with trepidation.

She'll be back, I just know it.

After they've turned the corner, I head straight back to Jake's room. Taking deep breaths, I try my very best to allow all of the tension to recede from my body. This is an amazing day. My sons are reunited and there's nothing that can taint it.

Not even her.

I wipe her from my mind and take one final deep breath before entering the room. What I see when the door opens pulls me up short, clears the static from my mind.

This is my life.

This is what I live for.

This is what I will fight for if need be.

My family, my wife and sons, are all curled together on Jake's bed while Bella reads to them. Their eyes are lidded, almost closed, as she quietly relays Max's adventures. Neither boy even notices my arrival, so happy in their little cocoon of togetherness.

I very quietly make my way to the chair in the corner to sit and watch. Bella's eyes find me once, but she doesn't even miss a word. My answering smile is enough to let her know that, for now, we're okay.

After the boys have held out as long as they could and both sets of eyes are closed, my wife makes her way over to take her spot on my lap. I pull her body close, reveling in the comfort her scent brings to my soul.

With her head tucked beneath my chin, she finally speaks. "What does she want, Edward?"

I squeeze her tighter to me. "I don't know for sure, baby. Whatever it is, she's not getting it. I promise you that. Right now, she's on her way to jail."

She lifts her head and looks at me with wide eyes. "What? I mean I contacted Rosalie right away, but jail?"

I chuckle and kiss her cute little nose. "Of course you did. That explains why Emmett caught her just as she was trying to slap me."

"Slap you!" she exclaims, already making an effort to stand, but I hold her in place. "Why that … "

"Baby, stop it." I snuggle her into my lap and tuck her head back into position under my chin. "I had her arrested for assault."

She starts giggling, the movement causing fine hairs to tickle my nose. I smooth her hair back in place and press a kiss to her head.

Then I sigh. "You know this won't be the end of her, though, right? They can't keep her long."

Her head bobs against my chest. "I know."

Wrapping my arms around her, I tighten my hold. "You know I'll never let her near our boys, though, right?"

"I know, Edward," she says quietly.

"We'll figure it out, Bella. I promise."

She leans up and presses her lips to mine in a desperate plea to make it go away. Knowing it may not be as easy as I'd like, I pour everything I can into the kiss, assuring her that no matter what, we'll face it together.

 _Day 27_

I'm making lunch and Seth is at the bar, legs dangling, tapping against his chair. "How many more days til I can see Jake again?" Puppy eyes are pleading with me to say soon.

I assemble the final sandwich, slide the pan into the oven and then prop my arms on the bar top across from him. "Dude, the doctor said you can visit two times a week."

"Okay." He shrugs. "When is that?"

I chuckle and shake my head at his cute self. "You can go again on Tuesday."

He holds up his hands, fingers spread wide. "How many days? Show me."

I lift my hand and hold up three fingers. "Three days, buddy." He closes all his fingers but three and stares at them. "But Uncle Jay and your cousins will be here in just a little bit and you get to meet Leah, your new baby cousin." I add excitement to my voice, but know that even though he loves his cousins, he'd rather be with Jake.

"Can her play wif me?" he asks, wide-eyed.

"No, dude, she can't play yet, but Joseph and Jared can." I go to the refrigerator and start grabbing the stuff for a salad.

"Okay." He props his chin on his little fists. "I can play wif Joseph and Jared then."

"Don't sound so excited," I joke, shaking my head.

He rolls his eyes. "I happy they comin', but I rather play wif Jake."

My shoulders slump at his truth so I make my way around the bar and lean down where I'm facing him. "I know, dude, and I'm sorry. Jake would rather play with you, too." I lean over and kiss his cheek. "Soon, okay?"

He nods slowly. "Okay, Daddy."

"Atta boy," I say giving his shoulder a squeeze.

No sooner than I pull the sandwiches from the oven do I hear my brother yelling from the front door. "Anybody home?"

"In here," I call.

Seth jumps down and runs to see his cousins and I make my way straight to my new niece. Taking in her angelic, sleeping face almost brings tears to my eyes.

She's beautiful, but not only that, this tiny being saved my son's life. It makes me sentimental in the best ways. "Let me wash my hands and I want to hold her," I say as I give her mother a kiss on the cheek. "You did great, Vic."

"Hey, hey! What about me," my brother breaks in.

I turn and wrap my arms around him, pulling him tight against me. "You both did great," I say with a couple pats on his back. I almost don't want to let go. "I'm so glad you're here." With one final squeeze, I pull back.

His brows furrow, but he holds his tongue, and instead slaps my arm and sends me back to the kitchen. "What's that smell, we're starving."

I give him a small smile. "Settle at the table while I bring out lunch."

After everything's been set, I wash my hands and take Leah from Vic. "You guys eat and I'll just be over here with this angel."

.

.

"So what's the plan for Maria," Jay asks as we're in the elevator on the way up to see Jake.

I lean against the wall and heave a huge sigh. "Pray she goes away and never comes back?"

"I hear ya, but you know that isn't happening, right? She wouldn't have shown up if she wasn't planning on making waves," he observes.

"I know, man. Fuck!" I grab my hair and tug. "I don't like knowing she's out there waiting, pondering her next move. It makes me insane."

He bobs his head along with my rant. "Why don't you be preemptive? Find her and pay her off?" he suggests.

The elevator stops on Jake's floor giving me a second to form my answer. "If I give her that power now, what's to say she'll stop? Will she show up every couple of years demanding more?"

"Fuck." He shakes his head. "You're right, man. Might as well nip it in the bud this time so she can't come back." He stops and grabs my arm before we get to Jake's door. "Do you think she has a legal leg to stand on?"

My first thought is to flat out deny the idea, but does she? The courts can take an ironclad settlement agreement and find fault, so why wouldn't there be a chance for her? This is a battle I'm not sure I'm ready for. I'd kill the bitch before I ever let her visit my son and pretend she's his mother.

Jake has one mother and her name is Bella.

"It'll never happen," I finally answer in a steely voice.

We continue the rest of the way to Jake's room in silence, and when we reach the door, I can already tell there are others inside. I stop to take a deep breath before pushing the door open and walking inside.

My dad starts for us as soon as we walk in. "Son," he greets Jay with a big hug before turning to me with the same. When he pulls back, he gives me a stern look. "We need to talk."

I nod. "We do, but later, okay?"

Before he can say anything more, Charlie approaches. "Edward," he says with a tilt of his head. "Just wanted to stop in and let you know that you now have a restraining order." My eyes widen. "I couldn't get it for the whole family, but I figured even just you was better than nothing."

"Thank you, Charlie, I don't know what to say," I tell him, shocked that he's not ready to bash in my head.

"Edward," he starts. "Son, I know you didn't want this and even though it pisses me off that it's happening, I can't blame it on you."

"Oh my God," Bella says, drawing all of our attention in her direction. She's staring at the TV with her jaw hanging open.

Jay grabs the remote and turns up the volume. I can hear her before I even get to where I can see the TV.

" _Not only was I thrown out of my son's room, but then I was arrested," Maria tells the reporter who's standing beside her, microphone held out to capture every word._

My jaw clenches.

" _And how did you find out about your son's illness," the reporter asks, shoving the microphone closer._

My fists ball at my sides.

" _Facebook," she answers, looking directly at the cameras, fake sorrow planted across her features. "I found out that my son is sick through Facebook." She focuses on the ground, seemingly heartbroken over this development._

My nostrils flare.

" _What do you intend to do now, Mrs. Masen?" the reporter pushes._

Nails dig into my palms so hard I'm sure there will be indentations.

 _She turns her stare back to the camera. "It looks like I have no choice. This has become a legal matter now. All I can do is plea to the courts to make this situation right."_

I bolt.

I storm from the room, ignoring the voices calling behind me. I can't be in there right now. I'm on the verge of an explosion. My walk turns into a jog and I flee. I don't know where I'm going or when I'll be back, my mind racing, raging out of control.

Pushing through the hospital doors, I break into a run. My body takes over and just goes and goes while my mind churns with thoughts of murder, arguing back and forth with itself. Making up plans and shooting them down.

I run and run and run.

When my breaths are labored and my feet will no longer move, I finally lean against a tree and pant to suck in oxygen. Looking around, I have no idea where I am or where I've been.

I'm a man lost.

Lost in the physical sense, but also lost as to how this could be happening. Lost to the rage that consumes me. Lost inside my head to the thoughts. The evil, sadistic thoughts that play out behind my lids.

I want to scream, I want to hide, I want to build a wall between my family and the world, I want to kill. I want this to have never happened …

But it has.

And so I do what I can to calm my mind and think like the intelligent man I am. And when I do, I realize that I just ran away from the family that is my whole world.

So I run again.

I run until I've found my way back and when I burst through the hospital doors, a body stands from the plush chairs at the entrance. It rushes to me and I envelop it in my embrace. I take everything she's giving and pray that she'll forgive me.

"I'm so sorry," I whisper over and over like a mantra, begging her to understand.

"Shhh," she soothes, holding onto me as tight as she can.

Tears are streaming down my face and shame runs through my body. How could I have ever run from this? No matter the cause, this is worth the fight. _Jake_ is worth the fight.

"Please, forgive me, baby," I beg into her ear.

She pulls back and grasps my cheeks between her hands, wiping my tears with her thumbs. "There's nothing to forgive. _You_ didn't do this. Forgive _yourself_ and let's figure out how we're going to take this bitch down." Her watery eyes are glimmering with mirth and my whole body sighs with relief.

I lean closer, placing my forehead against hers. "I love you."

She presses her lips to mine briefly. "And I love you. Now stop blaming yourself and let's go talk with our dads. They're waiting in the cafeteria." She slides to the floor and takes my hand.

"Is Jay with Jake?" I ask just to be sure.

"He is." She smiles. "And our moms are on the way to join him."

With a gentle squeeze to her hand, I follow where she leads.

I'd follow her anywhere.

"Ah, there you are," Charlie says as we approach the table he and my father are occupying.

I briefly look away, ashamed. "I'm sorry."

"Hey," he snaps to get my attention. "No need. I get it. I want to throttle that woman myself."

My father is sitting there, every muscle in his body tense. "We need a plan of action. Take a seat and let's get down to business." He tilts his head to a couple of empty chairs.

Bella pulls my hand to get my attention. "Love you," she mouths.

I take a deep breath and smile, then pull out her chair. After we're both seated, I kiss her cheek then turn to our dads. "What are your thoughts?"

My father props his forearms on the table, his voice low. "I have deep pockets. She can willingly disappear or I can make her."

Charlie sputters and covers his ears. "Shut up, Ed! You can't say shit like that around me."

I lean back and hold both my hands in front of me. "Hold up. Let me talk for a minute." I focus on my dad. "Look, I don't want to always wonder when she'll be back. If we try to pay her off, she can always show up again demanding more. I'm not ready for a lifetime of that."

"Me either," Bella confirms. "I want her out of our lives for good."

My dad nods at her. "Exactly what I'm say―"

"Dad, stop it," I interrupt. "First, you're sitting beside the fucking Police Commissioner, and second, she may be a sorry sack of shit who didn't want her son, but she doesn't deserve to disappear." I make quotes when I say the word.

He leans back, clearly not agreeing with my assessment, but deciding to shut his mouth at least. "Fine, son. What do _you_ suggest?"

Charlie clears his throat. "How about we use a little of you and a little of me?" he says to my dad.

My dad's brows rise in interest. "I'm listening."

And so Charlie lays out a plan.

A plan we can only hope will get Maria out of our lives.

For fucking good.

* * *

 **Okay, you guys are catching up with my written chapters so Monday is the new weekly post day. Teasers on Fridays in PIF and Fyregirl Fics. Probably only 10ish chapters left.**

 **And I have to say, no matter how many times I read this chapter, I still laugh at Ed and his 'solution.' Did it make you laugh?**

 **See you Monday!**


	37. Exit Only

**Fran is my polisher, but all mistakes are mine. Lissa, Michele and Vampiregirl93 read for me.**

* * *

 **Day 115**

 **BPOV**

 _Day 30_

Jake and I are playing a game of Go Fish when Edward and Seth enter the room. Seth doesn't even stop to say hi as he climbs straight up onto Jake's bed. In turn, the cards are tossed in my direction and all Jake's attention is on Seth.

"Hey, brother," Seth greets Jake.

"What took so long?" Jake asks in return.

Seth rolls his eyes. "Blame Daddy, he slow."

Jake cuts his eyes to Edward then. "Why you not hurry, Daddy?"

Edward chuckles and goes over, covering his face with kisses. "I missed you, dude."

Jake shrugs him away, embarrassed. "I missed Seth," he says, so simply that it almost brings tears to my eyes.

I slide from the bed and tilt my head for Edward to join me in the periphery. We know the strain this separation has caused the boys and that Jake loves us both very much, but this time, right now, is for him and his brother.

"Good morning, baby," I greet him then plant a peck on his pouty lips.

"Did you just see that? The kid dumped me," he says with a tilt of his head at the boys.

I look to them and can't help but giggle. "I saw. I think Jake's tired of us." I nod in their direction. "Look at them." He turns and focuses on our adorable boys who are locked in a hug.

He shakes his head and closes his eyes, savoring the moment. "I'm so glad they can finally be together."

"Me too," I agree with a satisfied sigh.

 _Day 33_

We're in the cafeteria again, waiting on our dads. Apparently, Ed has made contact with Maria, but things didn't go the way we'd have liked. Time to regroup and come up with a new way to rid ourselves of this blast from the past that's trying to muscle her way into our lives.

When she wandered into Jake's room, I figured it must've been a mistake, though her eyes were locked on my baby lying in his bed. This gave me pause, caused a chill to race up my spine. Right that second, I knew inside that a storm was brewing. I just didn't know the enormity of it.

This woman, who ran from her son, is now in my life and thinks she's going to have another chance. It won't happen. We'll fight her with everything this family has in its arsenal, and even I have to admit, it's a lot. There's my father, the police commissioner, my husband with his ironclad divorce agreement and lastly, my father-in-law with more money than she could ever need.

She won't win.

She can't.

Feeling determination in my veins, I pick up my coffee to take a sip only to notice Rose approaching. "Morning, Bella, Edward. Do you mind if I sit for a second?" She doesn't really wait for a reply, but takes a seat across from us.

"No, join us, please," Edward says sarcastically, waving a hand to where she's already seated.

She smirks at him for one moment before turning serious. "One Maria Parker has filed suit against this hospital for the wrongful switch of her children at birth."

My eyes widen. "Parker?"

Edward rolls his eyes. "Yes, Parker. Do you think I let that woman keep my name after she walked away from us? Fuck no!"

"But the news channels are calling her Masen," I mention, confused.

Edward's expression softens and he turns, cupping my face. "I'm so sorry, baby. I didn't realize that you didn't know." He purses his lips and looks to the side for a second, trying to control his anger. "I'm always fucking shit up somewhere, aren't I?"

"Stop it," I demand, grabbing onto his forearms. "It's not that big of a deal. We haven't talked much about her and I just assumed that was still her name. It is common for an ex-spouse to keep their married name."

He relaxes minutely. "Why are you always forgiving me for my bullshit?" He pecks my lips and sighs. "Whatever the reason, I'm thankful. From now on, just ask if there's something it seems I've failed to tell you. I'd never hide anything from you. I love you."

Rose clearing her throat makes us both turn our heads in her direction, me with a raised brow and Edward with a curled lip. I almost want to laugh at his expression.

"As I was saying," she drawls. "If she's filed suit against us, then my guess is that you're next. I thought you should know." Her eyes are apologetic, soft and caring.

I lift my coffee and take a sip just to have something to do, something to avoid the dread that is building inside me. "Thank you for letting us know." I manage to get out with as much sincerity as possible.

Rose leans over and places her hand on mine. "I'm here if you ever need anything. Even if it's just to talk."

I nod minutely, not even sure how to respond, but Edward has no issues whatsoever. "Thank you, Rose, but if Bella needs to talk she has me."

"My offer was for you both, Edward," she says, cutting her eyes toward him. "This woman, who could care less about either of these boys, has arrived here and disrupted your lives, and in turn, she's also going to try to take this hospital for a ride. I'd say that gives us collective reasoning to band together as a team against her."

Edward doesn't speak for a minute, processing her passionate words, but when he does, it's with a small nod of his head. "You're right, Rose. We need to work together or at the very least keep each other informed when it comes to _Maria_." He snarls her name.

"Agreed," I offer, hoping to break some of the tension.

Edward's shoulders slump just slightly. "I'm sorry," he says, meeting first my eyes and then Rose's. "I just get so _angry_ when her name comes up that I react irrationally."

This time, it's Edward's hand that Rose covers. "I understand." Then she smirks. "It's not like we have the best relationship anyway."

The corner of his lips quirk upward. "No, we don't."

"But I'm hoping we can work on that," she adds, her smirk turning into a genuine smile.

"I think that would be okay," he offers and inside I'm smiling.

I like Rose. She was great to me from the beginning and has been nothing but straightforward. Yes, she runs this hospital, but it's not as if she's personally responsible for the mistake that swapped our boys. And besides, everything that is my life now is because of that mistake.

"Good." Just as she stands, Emmett approaches.

He leans in and places a kiss on her cheek before turning to Edward and me. "Hey, Edward, Bella."

Edward stands and walks around, holding out his hand. "I didn't get a chance to thank you properly last week. So thank you."

Emmett takes it and they shake vigorously. "Not a problem. I was with Rose when Bella called and just got lucky with what I saw."

"Still, man, thanks," Edward says, withdrawing his hand and slapping Emmett on his shoulder.

With a nod, Emmett puts his palm on Rose's lower back and turns to her. "Ready for lunch, baby?"

She turns a light shade of pink before giving us a small wave and allowing Emmett to lead her from the table.

Edward chuckles and leans his head close to mine. "I wonder when those two are getting married."

My eyes widen, remembering that was the lead in Edward used to ask me to marry him. "Has he even asked her or was that just a part of your plan?"

He smirks. "Well, he did mention that she was the woman he was going to marry, just not right away."

I pinch his side. "You better be glad you're so irresistible."

He throws his head back and a loud laugh erupts from his lips before looking back to me with a serious expression. "I love you, Bella. Don't ever forget that. You and my boys are everything to me."

I reach up and brush my thumb along the lips that uttered those most beautiful words. "We love you, too, all of us."

He sucks the pad of my thumb into his mouth and sparks shoot through me with the sensation.

A chair scraping against the tile snaps us from the moment. "No, continue," Ed says with a wave of his hand. "This can wait." The smirk directed over my shoulder lets me know that my dad is standing right behind me.

Edward sports a smirk of his own and places a lingering kiss on my lips before turning to Ed. "Nice of you to join us." His eyes flick to my dad as he comes into view. "Both of you. Now have a seat and fill us in on what happened."

My dad takes a seat and looks to Ed. "I think you should share how the meeting went."

Ed nods and leans on the table between us, keeping his voice low. "I had a meeting with the tramp."

"And?" I prod.

He blows out a puff of breath. "She was skittish, suspicious even. She shied away from any kind of talk about money. She yammered on and on about her poor sick kid and how we've kept him from her."

I gasp. "What?"

Ed shakes his head. "I know, honey. I know. I'd like to think she was onto me and that's why she acted the way she did, but I can't be sure. We need to figure out something else."

My dad breaks in. "I wouldn't say this plan should be completely trashed. There's nothing saying she won't contact you. If she was skittish then it could be because she suspected a set-up." He runs his hand over his chin. "I'm thinking we need to refine this plan to be ready whenever she contacts you."

"So what are you suggesting, Charlie?" Edward asks.

My dad leans closer and we all push our heads in to keep the conversation as quiet as possible. "I think she'll get in touch with you. We need to be ready for whenever, or however, that is. I want voluntary taps on your phones, all of you"―his eyes scour over us―"and I'll have the lead detective on this case and his team on standby around the clock."

"You think it'll work?" I ask my dad, my eyes pleading with him to say yes.

He sighs and rubs his forehead. "I think she's here for money. And if that's the case then she _will_ be in touch. It'll just be on her terms and we'll have to be prepared for that."

"Can you? Be prepared for that, I mean?" Edward asks.

"Son, I can't personally oversee this case, but you can damn well bet I have the best team I could put together assigned to it," my dad says, his eyes showing nothing but confidence. "There will always be someone there and at the ready to get whatever she has to say when she says it." His finger jabs the table to make his point.

I inhale a huge gust of air and blow it out. "Thank you, Daddy."

Edward nods at my side. "Yeah uh … thanks, Charlie, Dad, both of you, for stepping in when the past has come back to tear us apart."

Ed shakes his head. "Now, son, don't feel that way. You have to let it go. You were young and in love and picked the wrong girl, that's all. We wouldn't have one of our grandsons if it weren't for her so don't ever wish her away."

And he's right.

So very right. My Jacob wouldn't even be here were it not for this woman, so for that alone, I have to hold some thanks in my heart. But just a sliver.

She still has to go, one way or another.

 _Day 38_

 _Good Morning, America, I'm Robin Roberts reporting on scene here in Seattle. A few months ago, we covered a 'switched at birth' story from Seattle General Hospital. At the time, we had no information on the families involved, but today we're here with the mother of one of these children._

 _It appears that one little boy was the product of a sperm donor while the other was born to a married couple. Since the switch, the couple has divorced and Ms. Masen signed her rights away to her son. Now she finds that he was never her son at all._

 _The two custodial parents involved with the switched children, Bella Swan, now Masen, and Edward Masen have since married and obtained legal custody of their biological children as well as the child they each raised._

 _(The camera shot widens to show two women seated for an interview)_

 _Ms. Masen, were you contacted by your ex-husband about the switch? The hospital?_

 _Masen: "No, no one contacted me after the news was discovered. I had to find out that my son was dying through a Facebook post."_

 _It's our understanding that he's recovering, not dying._

 _Masen: "Well, you must understand, to a mother who had no idea her biological son was even sick, the news I found out did make me feel like he was dying. He could've died and I might have never known."_

 _But you gave up your rights to your son in your divorce. Isn't that correct, Ms. Masen?_

 _Masen: "I was going through a very hard time after my son was born. I've since learned it was Post-Partum Depression. It has taken me years to finally come out of that state and now that I have, I want … no, I need to be a mother to my son―my_ real _son."_

 _Do you think this is what's best for your son now? To come back into his life, one where he has a mother and father, and make your presence suddenly known after being absent for the past three years?_

 _Masen: "I have to. I need to get to know the child that I carried."_

 _And you've filed a suit against the hospital. Is that correct?_

 _Masen: "I have, but look at what they did. Maybe if I had the son I gave birth to I wouldn't have fallen into a depression. I'll never know for sure, but they need to be held accountable."_

 _Is there anything you'd like to say to Mr. and Mrs. Masen if they're watching?_

 _Masen: "Yes, I'd like for Mrs. Masen to put herself in my position. How would she feel if she were being kept from her child? A child that could've died and she'd have never known. I can only pray that, as a mother, she'd never wish that on another and will guide her new husband to do the right thing._

 _(Ms. Masen's sobs can be heard as the camera pans back to Robin Roberts)_

 _We'll be sure to follow up as this case develops._

I angrily punch the power button, effectively dismissing her pleas. In the early morning silence, tears start streaming down my face. I pull my knees up and hug them tight, burying my face between them. Sobs wrack my frame as the reality of her plan moves through me.

Strong arms encase me in their warmth and a soft, soothing voice whispers in my ear, telling me, promising me, that everything will be okay.

But will it?

 _Day 42_

Home.

My son will be coming home in a few days and it's like I can breathe again. Tonight, I'm at home with Seth while Edward stays with Jake.

"I done, Mama," Seth says, holding up his hands for me to lift him from the tub.

I dry him off, and while he gets dressed and crawls into bed, I call Edward.

"Hey, baby, you two ready?" he asks, answering the phone.

"Almost," I say. "Waiting for Seth to get under the covers."

When he's sufficiently snuggled down, I turn the lamp off and cuddle close beside him. Placing the phone on speaker, I tell Edward to go ahead. "We're all set. Things ready on your end?"

Both Edward and Jake answer me. "We're ready," they say together.

"Night, brother," Seth yells so Jake can hear.

"Night, see you in the morning," Jake replies.

I smile to myself as Edward starts reading to them both through the phone. Lost in the voice of my husband, I can't help but allow the excitement to build. Finally, my son will be coming home. Sure, he'll have weekly visits with Carlisle, but that's nothing new.

This time, we're working toward an end.

Seth's quiet snores bring me back into the moment and Edward's soft, dreamy voice echoes from the phone.

"Psst," I say. "All clear here."

"Here, too, baby," he answers. "So what are you wearing?"

I get up and leave the room, giggling at his corny self.

"I'm going to be wearing nothing," I say teasingly just to hear him groan. "On my way to the shower."

"Baby, don't tease me that way," he half whines into the phone.

"Soon, baby, soon," I promise, my voice a little more seductive than it should be.

"Goddammit, woman. You're going to leave me in a predicament, aren't you?" he asks.

"I would never," I say on a gasp.

"Sure, baby, I see how it is." Then he sighs. "I love you."

"I love you, too, so much."

"I'm sorry, baby," he breathes into the phone, his voice tormented. "So fucking sorry that this bitch is trying to hurt you, hurt our family."

I stop and lean against the wall. "Edward," I say my voice soothing. "You have to stop blaming yourself, baby. Your dad was right. Without Maria, Jake wouldn't exist and whatever battle we have to face, he's worth it."

He sighs into the line. "You're right, baby, I'm sorry. It just makes me so fucking mad to even consider that she might get to meet Jake."

"Never," I vow. "She'll never meet our son, Edward."

"Never," he repeats with a hardness to his voice I've come to know and love.

"Exactly! Now stop beating yourself up and rest. Our son is coming home in a couple of days," I say allowing the excitement to seep into my words.

He chuckles low. "He is, we'll all be together again." I can picture the smile on his face.

"We will. Okay, I'm off to the shower," I say, messing with him. "Night, see you in the morning."

"Night," he practically groans, low and breathy, into the phone.

It takes all I have to end the call and not jump right on the bed and have phone sex with him, but I can't. We can't. He's at the hospital with our son.

A thrill runs through me.

Our son that is coming home.

With that though propelling my steps, I head to the bedroom to grab my PJs. Just as I pull the bathroom door open, the doorbell rings.

Pocketing my phone, I make my way down the stairs wondering who's popping in at this time of the evening. Rising, I look through the peephole and what I see there makes my jaw drop.

Maria.

With a curl of my lips, I pull my phone out and hit the newly recorded speed dial number nine. When I'm sure the call has connected, I push the phone down the front of my shirt to nestle between my breasts. I then close up one more button so it won't be noticed. Pushing down the queasiness just her appearance brings, I snatch the door open ready to rip this woman to shreds.

"What do you want?" I snap.

"Bella, or should I say the new Mrs. Masen," she sneers.

I smirk. "Yes, it's Mrs. Masen to you, Ms. Parker."

Her sneer turns into a frown. "Yes, I suppose it is."

I cross my arms trying to battle the wave of disgust swirling through my stomach. _"What do you want?"_ I demand this time.

"Such a touchy little thing aren't we?" She laughs into the night air. "I want a couple of things, _Bella_. The question is, do you want me gone enough to give them to me?"

I suck in a gasp of air. This is it. This is the moment Dad was trying to prepare us for. She's come to us.

To me.

And I'm ready.

"Look, Ms. Parker, I'm not sure I follow exactly what you mean," I say pretending to have no clue what she's referring to.

She laughs and it's a cold, hard laugh. "Oh, please, you know. Did you really think that I'd let Ed Masen buy me off? I could smell scam all over that meeting."

"Oh?" I lift a brow. "You've met with the elder Mr. Masen?"

She snorts, stepping closer. "You know I did. Now what I really want to know is what are _you_ willing to give up to get me to leave and never come back?"

My stomach churns.

How could this person care so little about any child, much less one she carried? How could she be willing to barter them for whatever it is she's wanting?

"How could you not care about your child?" I ask, completely bewildered.

"How could you care about a child you didn't even carry. Such a pitiful little brat, too. So sick. I'm glad that I didn't stick around for this shit sh―."

Before she can spew another word, my hand flies out and connects with the side of her face. The sting burns my hand, but it's a sting of satisfaction.

She starts chuckling and snaps her eyes back in my direction. "You're a spitfire, aren't ya?" she asks, cocking her head, studying me. "No wonder Edward married you so fast. But, of course, he would, he always did care for that little brat more than anything." A sneer curls her lip. "And God knows, I couldn't love the healthy kid, I damn sure wouldn't have loved the sick one … even if he does look like Edward." The words come out harshly, except the very last part. It almost seems to give her pause.

I stare at this woman and wonder how she could be so cold, unloving. What could Edward possibly have seen in her in the first place? Was it always the money she wanted?

I cross my arms over my chest in an effort not to assault her again and in an attempt to hold the nausea rumbling inside at bay. "I don't know what you expected to accomplish by coming here, but whatever it is you can forget it."

"Simple _._ " She leans closer, the stench of her perfume almost making me gag. "I want you to take those two little brats and leave. I want you to get my million dollars from Ed Masen and deliver it to me. As long as you stay gone, so will I." Her harsh laughter reverberates through the night air. "If you think you're going to sit around and play house with my husband and kid you've lost your mind," she snarls. "I'll make your life a living hell."

I swallow back the rage that is trying to spew forth. "Do you think Edward would buy that? That he'd _let_ me leave him? If so, then you don't know him at all," I snark.

She pushes closer still, trapping me against the door. "You'd better find a way, _Bella,_ because if not, I'll just have to take my son back."

My eyes widen with her words. "I'd like to see you try," I state through clenched teeth, fists balled so tight my nails are digging into my palms.

"You will," she assures. "You'll be served first thing in the morning."

With those words, the gut-wrenching pain can't be ignored any longer. I almost double over with the effort to keep my stomach from revolting. When I move to turn away, looking for something, anything to retch into, she blocks my path.

"Oh, no, you don't." Her hand pushes my shoulder, keeping me upright. "If you want me to go aw―"

She doesn't get to finish. I erupt, spewing my dinner down the front of her dress.

Her screams blend in with the sirens blaring as they fly in from every direction. Officers fill my yard and she's pulled away, kicking and screaming.

I lean against the doorjamb for support.

"Bella," my dad says, waving a light between my eyes.

"Did we get her?" That's the only coherent thought I have.

Charlie beams in the low lighting. "We got her. Are you okay, sweetie?"

I scan the yard and watch as she's pushed into the back of a police cruiser before my vision starts clouding. Everything in the periphery goes dark and as I try to focus on my dad's face, the hole begins closing until it is nothing but a pinpoint …

Complete blackness takes over.

* * *

 **You can thank Ashmerlin for the slightly early update! It's Monday in Australia ;)**

 **Ding dong the witch is gone :P**

 **See you next Monday!**

 **WIP Rec: Love is Easy, but Life is Complicated by 2brown-eyes**


	38. Bump

**Day 127**

 **EPOV**

 _Day 42_

I'm running.

Trees, streets, and cars whip past me as I stretch my legs as fast as they'll take me. I don't know where I'm at or where I'm going, but I know it's urgent that I get there. Nothing's familiar so I continue on, looking for anything to guide me.

My breaths are coming in short gasps and my legs ache from the workout they're receiving, but I still run, and I run with desperation. I need to be somewhere and I don't know why.

Leaving the bright lights of the city center behind, I start to recognize things; small things. A convenience store that I've stopped at before, our dry cleaner, the local grocer. Things start coming together and I know where I need to be.

Home.

Bella.

Something's wrong, so very wrong.

With burning lungs, I pick up the pace, even more desperate to arrive at my destination. Finally, I make it to our neighborhood, familiar homes blur past as I push myself harder and faster. Turning on my street, everything is dark and quiet.

Foreboding rises inside of me.

Sprinting through my yard, I slam into the front door, throwing it open and stopping to catch my breath. Hands propped on knees, bent at the waist, I suck in huge gasps of air.

"Bella." I'm barely able to speak, but I attempt to yell her name anyway.

Quiet encases me and chills run up my spine, the silence is deafening.

My breathing under control, I slowly start through the house, turning lights on as I go, the bright blare burning my eyes, but not deterring. With each empty room I enter, the panic rises.

Making my way up the stairs, the first noise reaches my ears. My feet move faster, tripping and stumbling up the steps. "Bella," I call again, this time more sure, my voice echoes off the walls.

A small answering thump leads me down the hall. Light shines under the boys' door so I head there first, not prepared for the sight that greets me when I enter.

Bella is sitting on a small child's chair, ropes tied around her, a gag in her mouth. As I run to her,I scan the room―empty.

Kneeling before her, I try to remove the gag, but she's fighting, trying to get free, and the panic evident in her eyes. "Shhh, baby, let me help you. Calm down," I soothe.

As soon as the gag is pulled away, she starts screaming Seth's name. "Baby," I say grabbing her and forcing her to focus on me, on my eyes. Her panic seeps into me and I'm barely able to function. "You have to calm down and speak to me, I'm losing my fucking mind here."

Her wild eyes flit around the room and when the ropes fall away, she jumps and runs, not another word uttered. "Bella," I call, doing my best to follow as she races down the stairs.

Not even stopping, she heads out the front door. "Bella," I scream, desperate now, speeding my movements trying to catch her.

"I can't, Edward," she calls back over her shoulder. "I have to find him!"

Just barely out of reach, I stretch my arm and grab hold, the forward motion sending us both tumbling to the ground. She starts fighting and screaming. "No. Edward, no. I have to go." Her hands flail and her head thrashes from side to side.

"Bella, please," I beg. "Stop and _tell me_."

"Edwarddd," she wails. It's a desperate plea, for what I don't know.

"Bella," I return. Her despair is crippling, but I have to know so I hold her body in place, refusing to relent. " _Tell me!"_

"Edward."

 _What the fuck?_

 _Who was that?_

"Bella?" I question, the panic already subsiding.

"Edward." This time, a small shake accompanies my name.

My eyes snap open and I jerk up, looking around desperately to see that I'm in Jake's hospital room and Renee is standing a few feet away, studying me cautiously.

"Renee?" I ask, because what the fuck is she doing here this time of night.

What fucking time is it?

I look around until my eyes land on the clock hanging on Jake's wall. My eyes then scan to his sleeping form, huddled under the covers.

Eleven thirty-seven.

Something's wrong.

So very wrong.

"Edward," she says carefully, testing the waters. "Are you okay?"

Dread races up my spine and encases my heart, causing it to pitter patter in my chest. I swallow thickly. "What's wrong, Renee. Why are you here?"

I start pacing, waiting, wondering, tugging, fretting, knowing that my life is about to take a dive once more. Is he standing up now?

She finally speaks, and when she does, my heart leaps from my chest of its own accord. "Edward, I need you to stay calm, okay?" Her hands are held out as if she is pleading with me to do her bidding.

"What the fuck is wrong?" I ask again, this time my jaw is clenched so tight the words are barely able to pass my lips.

"Please, hear me out before you react," Renee says and waits for me to give her a stiff nod. "Maria came by your house ton _―_ "

"What?" My whole body tenses and my heart races too fast to be normal.

"Everything is … well, it will be okay. Just please, listen," she pleads. "Bella was prepared. She called into the station and the team was able to record the whole conversation. Maria's been arrested. As soon as they got what they needed, the cops were dispatched and I was sent here to inform you."

I relax minutely, my mind trying to process this information. It's over. She's been arrested. Bella knew what to do, but then I stop and remember her words, 'will be okay.'

"Okay," I say on a gust of breath. "But what does 'will be okay' mean then? Why isn't it already okay?" My tone is hard, demanding.

"Bella passed out when it was over and Charlie is bringing her to the ER," she finally says.

I take a deep breath and release it slowly. "Okay, passed out. That's okay, she'll be fine then, right?" I'm almost pleading with her to tell me that nothing's really wrong with Bella. "Where's Seth? He was at home." I start to freak again, but her soothing touch brings me back to the present.

"It's okay. Calm down. Detective McCarty was there and he stayed with Seth until Alice arrived. It's okay, everything is going to be okay, Edward." Her motherly touch does more to calm me than her words as she rubs my arm, up and down offering assurance. "I'm here so that you can go and meet them in the ER when they arrive."

I start. "The ER yes, I need to get down there." I'm fumbling around, turning circles not sure what to do first.

She grabs my arms in a death grip and gives me a slight shake. "Edward. Just go down there. Everything here is fine." She turns and pushes me toward the door. "Go."

Feeling relieved to have some direction, I take off at a light jog, headed for the elevator. My mind is turning, wondering what in the hell could've possibly happened to make Bella pass out. If Maria has been arrested, then she must've shot off her fucking mouth, but that's what we wanted, even expected.

The longer it takes the elevator, the more my hysteria rises. If she hurt one hair on Bella's head, I'll let dad loose. He can do whatever he wants to her and I won't care or feel guilty in the least.

By the time I make it to the emergency department, my head is sore from the incessant tugging and my heart is racing again. I pace in front of the glass doors, watching, watching, watching.

Finally, blue fills my vision as Charlie's cruiser pulls up in front of the entrance. I rush out with no thoughts of waiting for them to come to me. "Charlie, where is she?" My mind is frantic and my words are rushed.

He's just stepping from the car as I make it to him. "Hold on, son," he says, grabbing my arm. "Calm down. She's awake now and she'll need you calm. We're just here to get her checked out." He bores into my eyes until I relax my stance and then tilts his head to the back door.

I take a deep breath to collect myself before pulling it open. My Bella is reclined against the opposite door with her eyes closed. "Bella." I breathe out in what I hope is a calm voice.

Ever so slowly, her eyes open and focus on me. "Edward? Who's with Jake?"

I crawl in the car until I'm in front of her and reach out to caress her cheek, seeing for myself that she appears okay. "Renee is with him, baby. Come on, let's get you inside." I move my hand and hold it out for her to take.

She stares at it for a second before slowly reaching out. As I go to pull her up, she resists and grabs her stomach. "Baby, are you okay? What is it?"

She shakes her head and sits still for a moment. "Give me a minute." After about thirty seconds, she attempts to pull herself from the car. "I'm fine, Edward." She rolls her eyes at what I'm sure is my frantic expression. "It was just a little bit of nausea."

"Nausea? Did you hit your head when you passed out?" I ask, feeling my concern spike.

I help her to stand beside me and keep my arms firmly around her for support. "No, I don't think so. I was nauseous before that."

I look to Charlie with my brows furrowed. "She didn't hit her head," he assures. "I was standing with her when she passed out." He motions for the ER doors. "Let's get her inside and checked out, eh? I'm sure everything's fine. Just a little overwhelmed."

He leads us into the brightly lit room and while he goes to the counter to speak with the admissions, I lead her over to a chair. Once she's seated, I'm able to fully take her in. She's pale, paler than I've ever seen her and she has a light bead of sweat on her forehead.

"Baby, are you sure you're okay? What the fuck happened?" I ask incredulously, just now fully remembering why I'm here―why she's here.

She tilts her head back against the seat and closes her eyes. "I'll tell you everything," she says, then tilts her head in my direction, opening her eyes again. "Just not now, okay? I don't know if I can stomach recanting the details right now."

My face falls with her words. While I completely understand what she's saying, the guilt creeps in, filling me up, threatening to pull me under. I did this. Whatever happened tonight is because of me.

"Hey, hey." She grabs my face, angling it toward her. "Stop it. I've already told you, this is _not_ your fault. Please, baby, please let it go." She pleads with me in her soft voice and although it's hard to accept her words, I have to.

I have to let it go.

For my family's sake more than anything.

I take a deep breath and push the guilt from my mind. With a small nod, I make a promise not to blame myself for Maria and her actions. "Okay, baby." I lean close and kiss her cheek. "I promise."

Charlie takes the seat beside me. "They should get her back soon. Being the Police Commissioner has it perks." He smirks.

And yeah, I like perks.

It isn't ten minutes later when a nurse is calling Bella's name. We follow her back, and while Charlie hangs in the hall, I go into her cubicle with her. After taking Bella's blood pressure and having her pee in a cup, she takes her leave letting us know that the doctor will be in shortly.

Shortly isn't very accurate, as it takes him at least forty-five minutes. After looking Bella over, he leans back on his stool and holds her chart in front of him.

"Well, Mrs. Masen, it seems everything is okay as far as the fainting and nausea are concerned. We'll give you a prescription for an anti-nausea medication before you leave tonight, but you'll need to follow-up with your OBGYN as soon as possible," he explains.

Bella's studying him with furrowed brows while I'm just dumbfounded. He didn't tell me jack shit with that whole diatribe. "Excuse me, doctor, but I must be missing something here. Could you tell us _why_ she fainted?"

Bella's nails dig into my arm to an almost a painful point before the doctor lifts his brow in my direction. "Oh, my. I'm so sorry." He focuses his attention on Bella, who looks both shocked andelated, her nails breaking my skin at this point. "Mrs. Masen, you're pregnant."

My jaw unhinges and I stare at the doctor in confusion. "P … pregnant?"

Bella's nails release my arm and she yanks me around to face her. She's transformed from the frail woman who I saw earlier; her eyes are bright with emotion and her cheeks are filled with color and from that alone, I know, I know that what the doctor said is true.

Bella's pregnant.

We're going to have a baby.

Together.

Silent tears fill the next few moments as we accept the news and allow it to flow through us. I hold her close whispering promises of forever and thanking her over and over for being mine and giving me this amazing family.

"I don't want to share the news, yet," she says quietly. "Let's find out how far along we are first."

"Whatever you think is best, baby." I run my finger along her cheek, wonderment in my gaze.

The doctor, who we'd forgotten was in the room, clears his throat. "Be sure to make an appointment soon."

Bella nods with a smile, she actually beams at him. "I will."

"Okay, Mrs. Masen. I'll get the nurse working on your discharge papers," he says returning her smile. "Congratulations."

I have to clear my throat before I can speak, the emotion still threatening to choke me. "Thank you."

He nods and stands, leaving the room.

"Edward," Bella says, waiting for me to look at her. "We're going to have a baby." Her tone is soft, amazed, but her excitement is shining at me through her every feature.

I press our foreheads close. "We are. I love you, baby," I whisper and push my lips against hers.

 _Day 44_

"When we goin', Mama?" Seth asks, completely exasperated that we're still sitting here even though all Jake's stuff is packed and sitting by the door.

"As soon as the doctor comes in and says it's okay for Jake to leave, sweetie," Bella replies, walking over to brush his hair from his eyes.

"Jake's ready to go see our room," he pouts, crossing his arms.

"Look, dude, we get it. We're ready to get out of here, too. But we have to wait until the doctor gives us the all clear," I say in a stern but understanding voice.

He looks down, but doesn't respond so I'm hoping he'll chill. Bella, feeling guilty I'm sure, sits beside them on the bed and offers to read to them to pass the time. Their faces light up with this news.

"Can we sit in the chair, Mama?" Jake asks shyly, pointing to the recliner in the corner.

Bella's brow furrows, but she agrees anyway. "Sure, come on."

She eases both of them down from the bed and takes her spot first before they crawl up into her lap, one on each knee.

Out of the blue, Jake says, "Thank you, Mama. I tired of that bed."

My mouth almost drops open as I stare at my little boy. Bella's blinking rapidly, trying to keep the wetness in her eyes from spilling over.

I go over and kneel before them. "Dude, we're so sorry that you've been here so long," I say, grabbing his knee and giving it a squeeze. "But it's something that had to be done. It's over now, buddy. You're going home and as long as you keep getting better, you'll never have to do it again."

Seth focuses his attention on Jake. "Yeah, brother, you don't gots to come back." He shrugs and then turns to Bella. "Are you gonna read?"

Jake nods along with Seth, the heavy moment―which must've only been heavy for Bella and me―completely forgotten. Bella blinks a couple more times and clears her throat. "Um, sure." She opens the book and I take a chair and pull it closer to listen.

Bella's soothing voice lulls us all until Dr. Cheney enters the room. Carlisle comes in seconds later.

Bella stands and instructs the boys to put the book away while we go to greet the doctors. "Dr. Cheney, Carlisle, we've been waiting for you to come. Jake's ready to get out of here," Bella informs them as she shakes their hands.

"We all are," I agree, taking my turn.

We stand while Dr. Cheney goes over his medications and the schedule of when they need to be taken before turning us over to Carlisle to explain his weekly visits.

"Basically, they're the same as before the transplant. He'll have bloodwork weekly and the further into his recovery we move, the further apart we can make his appointments. Never hesitate to contact me with any questions, and most importantly, report any symptoms even if they seem minor," he instructs.

"Oh, you can count on that. We want Jake to continue to heal and remain healthy. We aren't taking any chances when it comes to his recovery," I respond.

He slaps me on the shoulder and takes my hand again. "That's good to hear although I already knew it. Call my office in a day or two and have them set up his first appointment."

I nod and put my arm around Bella. "We will, Carlisle, and thank you both, for everything you've done."

Dr. Cheney smiles. "This is the most rewarding part of my job. Watching a patient go home, knowing that he's only going to keep improving."

"So he's ready to go?" Bella asks, her excitement barely hidden.

"I've already left his discharge papers at the nurse's desk. Just stop and pick them up on your way out," Dr. Cheney replies.

Bella reaches over and gives hera quick unexpected hug then moves over to Carlisle for a slightly longer one. When she pulls back, she looks to me. "Gather the troops."

I smile, because fuck, this is it. "All right, dudes. You heard Mama, we can go."

Both boys hoot with a fist pump and run over to us. A nurse brings a wheelchair, cart thingy and we load up the bags and Jake.

"Why I not get to ride wif Jake?" Seth asks after he was told he couldn't get on.

"They makin' me ride, Seth," Jake explains to him. "I'd rather walk wif you."

"Oh, okay," Seth says, accepting that answer easy enough.

We exit the hospital and load into the car. Our drive home is filled with the sounds of two little boys talking quietly in the back seat and I couldn't be any more pleased.

For the first time in 54 days, my family is together again …

Away rom the hospital.

Going home.

* * *

 **I'm so sorry for the late update. But I was able to get it loaded today. If there's errors, please excuse them, its hard working from my phone with a doc. I won't be able to reply to reviews, but please know i read and love every single one. I will do my very best to get Mondays update loaded before then. I have through 41 written with just a couple left to write, hopefully I can get those done soon. I'm so sorry as I never ever wanted anything to upset my posting schedule, but it has. I'll do my very best to keep them coming**.


	39. Rest Area

**As always, Fran is my polisher, all mistakes are mine. Lissa, Michele, and Vampiregirl93 pre-read for me.**

* * *

 **Day 130**

 **EPOV**

 _Day 45_

" _We turn now to the local case of babies switched at birth. The mother of one of the children has been arrested …"_

" … _Parker attempted to extort money from the Masens … "_

" … _She signed her rights away claiming Post-Partum depression, only to find out years later that he wasn't her son at all. We heard from her prior to the arrest … "_

" _This is Robin Roberts bringing you an update on a case we've been following out of Seattle. A few of weeks ago we brought you an interview with Maria Masen, who we've now learned is Maria Parker. She was making a plea return to her son's life after finding out that he was switched at birth with another baby boy. Now she's being charged with extortion and blackmail in that very same case. Allegedly, she attempted to extort money from her ex-husband and the new Mrs. Masen. We'll be sure to bring you more details as they become clear."_

I stab the fucking power button on the remote and the TV falls silent. Sure, these headlines are more palatable than the ones of her pleading her case, but we'd rather it all just go away, to be as if she never existed.

Sighing, I get up to go start the pancakes. I gather the ingredients and mix almost on auto pilot. I've made this recipe a thousand times since they're our favorites. As I work, I allow my mind to settle and turn my focus to the good. This is our son's first morning at home and he's progressing every day.

Just as I fill the first griddle, warm arms surround my waist and a body curves against my back. "Morning," Bella says in her sleep tinged voice.

I enjoy the feel of her wrapped around me for a moment before turning around into her embrace and closing my arms around her. With her head tucked under my chin, I gently rock us from side to side. "Morning, baby."

"I smell banana," she says quietly, but with a smile in her voice.

I chuckle lightly. "Of course. Only the best for our boys' first breakfast together at home."

She runs her palms up my back and lifts her head to look at me with a twinkle in her eye. "I knew there was a reason I loved you."

Pressing my lips briefly to hers, I pull back and smirk. "I hope that isn't the only reason."

Keeping her face as straight as possible, she responds, "Nope, I'm pretty sure that's the only reason."

"Oh yeah?" I challenge, my brows lifted. "Let me see if I can remind you." My lips go to her exposed collarbone. Opened mouthed, I place heated, tongue swiping kisses along the delicate lines, nuzzling closer and up the planes of her neck.

She tilts, allowing me access. "There's some sort of memory coming back to me," she says, her voice growing husky.

I continue to that spot just behind her ear and latch on, sucking just a touch harder. A soft moan escapes her lips. My tongue runs along the rim of her ear before I close my mouth over the lobe and tug. Her hands twine in my hair and yank my lips to hers.

After a passionate kiss, she pulls away, but keeps my lips only centimeters from hers. "It's all very clear to me now; thanks for the reminder." The corner of her lip lifts just slightly, then her nose wrinkles. "I smell burning pancakes." She slaps her hand over her mouth and moves away from the stove.

I jump and turn back to my griddle. Sure enough, the first side is fucking charred beyond recognition. Risking a glance back to Bella, I offer her a small shrug. "Sorry, baby."

I dump them into the trash and take the bag, sitting it outside of the door in hopes of eliminating the smell. Then I add butter and ladle a fresh set of pancakes onto the searing, hot pan.

Slowly, Bella removes her hand from her mouth. The smell must be tolerable because a satisfied smirk lifts her lips. "Did you burn something there, chef?" she asks all innocently and shit.

I shake my head. "Evil. Pure fucking evil," I tease.

She steps closer and I step back. "Uh uh, stay away from the cook." I point my spatula to keep it between us.

Her hand reaches out, and just as I'm about to move further away from her seductress ways, she closes it over the handle of my utensil. "I've got this. Why don't you go check on the boys?"

"Are you sure? This feels like a trick." I slowly release the spatula.

She lifts a brow and immediately turns to start flipping the pancakes.

"Okay then." I start for the stairs, only to get a smack on my ass on the way past her. I stop and turn, but she keeps her eyes focused on the griddle, a sly smile curves her lips. Shaking my head, I continue upstairs.

When I push the door to the boys' room open, I'm surprised at what I find. Seth is already up, but in the corner, quietly running his car around their toy track. Sam's lying beside him with his head between his paws.

I walk over and squat down beside him. "What you doing, dude?"

He pushes his finger over his lip. "Shh, Jake's still sleepin'," he whispers.

My brows lift at this information. Typically, whoever wakes first just gets the other up and they head downstairs. "Don't you usually wake each other up?"

"Yes, Daddy." Seth sighs. "But Jake needs to sleep more so he can keep gettin' better."

Stunned stupid by my son's perceptiveness, I don't quite have a reply. "Oh, okay." I stand and hold out my hand. "Well come on down for breakfast and Jake can make his way when he wakes."

Seth shakes his head. "No, that's okay, Daddy. Me and Sam will come down wif Jake."

I have to blink rapidly to dissipate the wetness at the level of love my boys have for each other. "Okay, dude," I say, my voice now gruff. "I'll keep it warm for you."

Leaving the room, a small sigh escapes my lips.

What a fucking life I'm blessed to have.

 _Day 47_

" _Garrett Taylor."_

"Mr. Taylor, this is Edward Masen."

" _Please, call me Garrett. It's good to hear from you, especially with all the news reports flying around. What can I do for you?"_

"I'd like to schedule another interview with you. Set the record straight."

" _I'd like that very much, Mr. Masen. Do you have something specific in mind?"_

"Bella and I have been discussing it and we'd like to formally sit and answer any questions you may have to address our situation. Now that my ex-wife has been arrested, reports are flying and people are speculating. We'd like to get the facts clear while still keeping the integrity of the case against her. I was hoping your paper would be the best vehicle to achieve that."

" _We'd be honored to be your trusted source for getting the information out there. So when would you like to do this?"_

"Is tomorrow afternoon good for you?"

" _Not a problem. Where would you like to meet?"_

"Are you familiar with Bella's business?"

" _What kind of reporter do you take me for? Of course I know where Mrs. Masen works."_

"We were thinking of her office at four o'clock. Will that work for you?"

" _That works perfectly. See you tomorrow."_

 _Day 48_

As soon as we exit the elevator, Tanya is out of her seat and headed straight for my wife. Even though she was expecting us, she can't contain her excitement at having Bella back in the office, even if just for an interview.

She goes straight for the hug, pulling my wife away from me. "It's so good to see you, Bella."

Both women are all smiles as they pull apart. "It's good to see you too, Tanya. Did you get a chance to look up that thing I asked you about?"

Tanya nods and smiles wider. "I did. I have a folder compiled for you to take home."

Bella simply beams at her and I have to wonder what these two are planning. "All right, what is this _thing_ we're talking about?" I ask, looking between them.

Bella reaches over to fiddle with a button on my shirt, her smile now coy. "Wouldn't you like to know?"

I huff.

She rolls her eyes and pats my chest. "Oh, don't be a baby. It's a surprise."

I cross my arms. "I hate surprises."

Bella's laughter peals throughout the room. "Says the man who surprised me with a wedding and asked me to marry him two days prior."

Before I can make a brilliant fucking comeback, the elevator dings, signaling the arrival of our appointment. I just roll my eyes and turn to leave the cackling women behind as I go to meet Garrett.

"Hey, Mr. Masen," he greets, stepping off the elevator.

"It's Edward," I correct, holding out my hand.

He takes it, but his attention is drawn over my shoulder toward the still giggling women up the hall. "Come on, I'll introduce you." Dropping his hand, I lead him up to where the women are attempting to rein themselves in from their little laugh-fest at my expense.

I clear my throat. "Garrett, this is my wife, Bella. Bella, this is Garrett Taylor from _The Seattle Times._ "

He shakes Bella's hand and does the normal niceties, but I can't help to notice his eyes are constantly flickering to Tanya. She's standing quietly, pretending to ignore his attention, but her subtle glances don't escape my notice.

I step beside Bella and lay my palm on her lower back. "Well, if you'll follow us we can get this interview underway," I suggest just to see if anyone will protest the non-introduction.

Bella side-eyes me, but I try and convey with my eyes that she should just follow along. "Oh, yes. Right this way," she finally jumps in.

As we start to turn toward her office, Garrett speaks. "And you are?"

Bella smirks at me before we look back to the scene taking place. Tanya acts surprised and suddenly shy as she holds out her hand. "I'm Tanya Denali. Bella's assistant."

Garrett takes her hand and flips it over, placing a kiss on her wrist while staring her directly in the eye. "So nice to meet you. _Mrs_. Denali."

I roll my eyes at his obvious digging and Bella pinches my side, giving me a 'be nice' look.

"Oh, no. It's _Miss_ Denali," Tanya replies, giggling and batting her lashes. "You can call me Tanya."

"Lovely," Garrett responds, finally releasing her hand. "And if you'd call me Garrett I'd be honored."

"Well, Garrett, it's so very nice to meet you." Tanya was very straightforward and open in her flirtations with me so I'm at a loss watching her tinge a light shade of pink from Garrett's attention.

"Yes, very," he agrees. Neither one of them has looked away from the other for the whole entirety of this exchange.

Bella is staring at their display with a slight smile and while I'm okay if they want to fuck or whatever, I'm ready to get to why he's here in the first place.

I clear my throat to remind them we're even in the room. "While watching this little love connection you have going on is entertaining, I think we had an interview scheduled."

Garrett slowly drags his eyes from Tanya to meet my stare. "Oh, yes. I'm sorry, Mr. Masen."

Bella steps in then. "It's not a problem, Garrett. Maybe you and Tanya can talk after we're done? She should be free for the evening by then." She smiles and looks between the two.

Tanya finally finds her flirtatious side and steps closer to Garrett, catching his attention once more. "I wouldn't be opposed to furthering our conversation … later," she purrs, running her finger up his chest.

His stunned expression has me covering my laugh with a cough which earns me a jab to the ribs from Bella. The tigress has arrived and Garrett is in a trance, stunned by her appearance.

When he finally responds, it's with a stutter. "S … sure."

The smile Tanya bestows upon him can only be described as predatory. "I'll be holding you to that, Garrett." Her voice is low and filled with sex.

"Okay, now we have that settled, right this way Garrett," I say, motioning toward Bella's office.

He reluctantly takes his eyes from the woman before him and follows us inside where we sit and talk frankly about Jake's condition, the past situation with Maria and where she now finds herself.

All in all, Bella and I are very satisfied with the outcome.

I'd even venture to say that Tanya and Garrett are even more satisfied.

 _Day 53_

"Isabella Masen," the nurse calls.

I rub my hands up and down my thighs to try and dissipate the nerves, before holding it out to assist Bella in standing. "You ready for this, baby?"

She grants me a sweet smile, and with a confident nod, she takes my hand and rises from her seat.

We follow the nurse down a long hall before she stops and opens a door. "Here you are, Mrs. Masen." She allows us to enter before coming inside and closing the door. "The bathroom is two doors down on the left," she says as she hands Bella a small cup. "If you'll fill this, I'll be back shortly." She then disappears from the room.

Bella holds up the cup. "I'll be back." She leaves me alone in the room and goes to do her thing.

I sit there like a nervous idiot, twiddling my thumbs, waiting for my wife to return. She sweeps in with the cup in her hand sufficiently filled. My mind can't help but wonder how in the hell she got that pee in there, but I decide to keep that question to myself.

It doesn't take long before the nurse is back, collecting the specimen and directing Bella to a small changing room to put on a cheap, paper hospital gown. When she comes back out, the nurse takes her blood pressure and sticks her finger before asking her a billion questions.

When all that's done, she smiles at Bella. "All right, Mrs. Masen, Dr. Crowley will be with you shortly."

By fucking shortly she meant over thirty minutes, but what the fuck ever. When he finally does make it to the room, it's with a beaming smile at my wife. "Bella, so good to see you again. I hear congratulations are in order."

She fucking giggles. "Well, I'll let you be the judge of that."

"Oh, yes, of course, but I meant on your marriage." He turns and holds out his hand while Bella looks thoroughly embarrassed for forgetting my ass sitting right beside her. "Hello, I'm Tyler. Nice to meet you."

I shake his hand a little harder than necessary and form a tight smile. "I'm Edward Masen, Bella's husband."

"I'm quite happy that you joined us, Mr. Masen. We get more and more fathers coming in these days and I always think it's a great idea." He turns his attention back to Bella. "Especially since you were alone the last time this is such a nice change."

"Tyler, I don't know what you've seen or heard, but the baby that you delivered before mistakenly ended up going home with Edward, and his wife at the time, and theirs came home with me," Bella explains.

 _Tyler's_ face goes from one with a genuine smile to shock. "You're the mother whose child was switched at birth?"

I clear my throat. "She is the mother, and I was the father."

His eyes widen and he stutters before regaining his composure. "Maybe this is one of those times we can say that God works in mysterious ways." He smiles again and it's genuine. He really means the sentiment.

So while I sit by and watch him stick his fingers in Bella's pussy, I have to chant to myself, _"He's a good guy, he's a doctor, he's just doing his job."_

After what seems like an eternity, he finally rolls out from between her legs and discards his gloves. "Everything looks perfectly normal and you're definitely pregnant. According to calculations, you're seven weeks. We'll schedule a sonogram for the twelve-week mark. Now, do you have any questions?"

Bella sits up and closes her legs―fucking finally―and pushes a curl behind her ear. With an apologetic glance in my direction first, she focuses back on _Tyler._ "Um, you do realize that our son, well technically Edward's son, had to receive a bone marrow transplant due to severe aplastic anemia?" she asks.

And while it kills me to hear the sadness in her voice, I completely understand why she needs to ask. But that extra torment when she has to admit, that technically, he's only mine, makes me react.

I move to sit beside her on the bed, placing my arm around her shoulder in silent support while we both wait to hear what the doctor has to say.

He studies us for a second before forming his response. "Was his condition due to genetics?"

I can feel the slight sag of Bella's shoulders before she answers. "No, it wasn't."

Tyler smiles then and places his hand on her knee, and while I know it's in a show of support, my jaw automatically tightens. I want to snap his fucking, pussy-fingering fingers in two.

"Then you should have nothing to worry about with this pregnancy or this baby." He smiles and squeezes her knee once more before standing. "Anything else?"

I wrack my brain and come up with nothing. I know there are a million questions I should be asking right now, but nothing comes to mind. For the most part, my mind is in awe. The true reality of this visit hits me like a ton of bricks.

We're having a fucking baby.

My arm tightens and I place a tender kiss on Bella's cheek and when she side-eyes me, I can do nothing but beam back at her.

The rest of the visit is filled with redressing, prenatal vitamins and making her next appointment and the whole time my mind is imagining the life growing inside her. I follow along lost in thoughts of a brown-eyed girl who steals my heart just like her mother.

"Edward," Bella snaps.

I shake my dreams of the future clear. "What?"

"I _said_ , I think I'd better drive since you're lost in la la land somewhere," Bella retorts.

I start shaking my head. "No way, baby." I lead her to the passenger side and help her in, giving her a wink as I close the door. When I climb into the driver's seat, her eyes are boring into me. "What?" I ask with an innocent shrug.

"Don't you what me. Where were you?" she asks, brow hitched.

I lean across the console, palming the back of her head, I plant my lips to hers. I pour all my hopes and wishes into the fire that burns between us.

When I finally pull back, I push my forehead against hers and run my free hand down her midsection. "Just thinking about my brown-eyed baby girl." I rub her stomach for emphasis.

"Oh? It could be a boy, you know," she says, still panting from our kiss.

"I know, but it's not." With one more press of lips, I pull back and start the car.

"So, when should we tell the boys?" I ask, pulling from the lot.

"Soon?" she suggests.

And life can't get any fucking better.

* * *

 **Much better this week, I got the spare working right so things should be okay again. Haven't had time to write anything yet, but hopefully I can get to it this week. I have an outtake next, maybe Friday, if I get a chapter written this week.**

 **So hopefully, I'll see you later this week!**


	40. OUTTAKE: Baby on Board

**Fran is my polisher and Lissa, Vampiregirl93, Michele read for me.**

* * *

 **Jake's POV**

 _Day 58_

"Come on, boy," I call to Sam. Me and Seth is playing in the yard and I trying to get Sam to climb the steps to the slide. He just sitting there wif his tongue out acting like he can't hear me.

Then Seth walks over. "We have to put him up there if we want him to slide."

"He heavy, though," I tell him.

"I get his front legs and you get the back ones." Seth points me at Sam and I go stand behind him. "Now, just lean down and grab his legs. I put the front ones up there."

He pulls Sam over to the ladder and lifts his front legs onto a step. Sam still don't climb up, though. So Seth comes back here wif me and we both lean down and lift his back part. We push and push, but he still won't climb the steps.

"He not goin'," I point out. "And he heavy, too."

"Okay," Seth says and drops the leg he was holding. "Let me get him a treat and I get up there and call him."

"Yeah, that might work," I agree.

I watch Seth run to the back porch and get a treat for Sam. Then he comes running back and climbs up the slide to the top.

He holds the treat over the steps. "Here, boy. Come get it." He shakes the treat to get Sam's attention.

His ears perk up and he moves closer, stretching his neck to sniff in the air. When he realizes Seth is holding a treat, he raises up and props his paws on a step.

I move up closer beside him. "That's it, boy. Go get it."

I push on his tail, trying to get him to climb. He hooks his paws on a step and tries. His feet are flailing everywhere, but he does move up closer to the treat. Seth slides back so his mouth can't reach it.

"He's coming, Seth," I yell, still pushing him up as best I can.

"I see that," Seth tells me, giggling.

When Sam gets close to the top, Seth puts his treat down and grabs his paws, pulling him up. As Sam gets higher, Seth starts sliding down the slide. He's laughing and having fun, but then the treat slides down right by him. All that work and his treat is on the ground.

I run around and pick it up right before Seth slides down to the ground. When I look back to the top of the slide, I see Sam sitting on the flat part.

I run back to the top and step up a couple steps. "Yay, boy, you did it." I hold out his treat and he gobbles it down.

Seth slaps his hand to his forehead. "Now he not gonna come down."

"Uh huh, just call him," I tell him.

He squats down at the bottom of the slide and starts patting it. "Come on, boy. Come on, Sam."

Finally, Sam starts slowly putting his paws on the slide. I get excited and run down beside my brother. We both call him until he starts sliding down and lands right in front of us.

We jump up, high-fiving each other cause we did it! We got Sam to slide. We was so excited, we didn't see Mama and Daddy come out the door.

"Hey, dudes, what's going on out here?" Daddy asks us wif his eyebrow raised.

"We made Sam slide," Seth tell him. "He climed up and went down the slide to the ground."

Daddy just looks at us like he don't understand. "Cool," he finally says. "Well, Mama and I would like to talk to the two of you. Can you come in and wash up for lunch?"

"What we havin'?" I ask cause I needa know if it's good.

"I made pizza," Daddy says.

"You made it?" I ask, holding up my hands. "Why you not just buy it? That what we always do."

Daddy rubs my head and pushes me toward the back door. "You'll like it. I make good pizza, don't I Seth?"

"Uh huh, specially the cheese one," Seth says.

Daddy just rolls his eyes. "Of course it's the cheese one. Good thing I made that one today." He laughs while Seth fist pumps.

"All right, guys, let's go wash up first," Mama says. Always gotta make sure we clean before we eat.

After she makes sure our hands are washed, we all sit at the table where Daddy serves us cheese pizza. I watch Seth take a bite first and when he nods at how good it is, I pick up mine.

"Mmm," I mumble around the pizza in my mouth. "This is good, Daddy."

Mama giggles a little but still gets on to me. "Yes, it's very good, but we don't talk while our food is still in our mouths, okay?"

I swallow my bite, then say, "Yes, ma'am."

After we done eating, Daddy clears his throat. "Your Mama and I have something we want to tell you." He looks between us and then at Mama.

She nods and takes his hand. "We were wondering how you would feel about having a baby brother or sister?" She takes turns looking at me and Seth.

I just shrug my shoulders. "A baby brother would be okay." I turn to Seth. "What you think?"

He looks between Mama and Daddy. "When?"

"Well, it'll be a little while," Daddy answers.

Seth looks at me and nods. "Yeah, I think a baby brother would be okay."

"Boys," Mama calls, making us both turn to her. "You don't get to pick whether it's a brother or sister."

"Why not?" Seth asks. "Jared and Joseph wanted a baby sister and that's what they got."

Daddy chuckles. "Yeah, dude, they just got lucky, though. When you have a baby, you have to take whatever comes."

"So who's having the baby?" I ask, cause now they confusing me.

Mama gets up from her seat and comes around between me and Seth and squats down. "I'm having the baby," she says softly while watching me.

I have to think about that for a second. Do I want to share my room wif another brother? "Where he gonna sleep?" I ask.

Mama rubs her hand across my forehead and it feels good. "Oh, sweetie, the baby will have a room of his _or her_ own."

"You mean Daddy's old room?" Seth asks.

"Yeah, dude, the baby will have my old room," Daddy answers from across the table.

"So where's it at then?" I ask.

Mama sighs and looks at Daddy. He gets up, comes around the table and sits on his knees. "Look, guys. I know this is out of the blue, but we just found out and wanted to share it with our boys." He puts his hand on Mama's stomach. "You remember how Aunt Vic had Leah in her belly?" I nod cause I remember her stomach was real big. "Well, that's where this baby is, in Mama's belly."

I look at Mama's belly. "It not very big," I say.

Mama laughs. "No, it's not right now, but it'll get bigger and bigger. And then I'll have to go to the hospital to have him or her."

"The hospital?" I ask cause I don't want Mama to go to the hospital.

"Oh, sweetie," Mama says. "It won't be the same as when you were there. I promise I won't stay but a day or two and you and Seth both will be able to come and see the new baby and me."

"My new brother," I say nodding my head.

"Whoa, dude," Daddy says. "We're not sure if it's going to be a brother or sister yet. Remember, we said we don't know."

I stick my lips out in a pout, but nod my head anyway. "Okay."

Daddy looks to Seth. "What about you, dude? You okay?"

Seth just shrugs. "I guess so," he tells Daddy then turns to me. "We can always dress her in boy clothes if it a girl."

"Hey, hey, none of that," Daddy says like he's playing wif us. "I think you two will love a baby sister or a brother and be the best big brothers ever."

"Oh yeah, we can do that. Can't we Jake?" Seth asks me.

I think about it for a minute and decide that I can be an awesome big brother. Even better than Jared and Joseph. "Yep, we sure can. Even if it is a sister."

"That's the spirit," Daddy says and ruffles my hair. "Now, one more thing. Can you keep it a secret for a little while?"

"Who we gonna tell?" Seth asks.

Daddy rolls his eyes and Mama giggles at him cause he's silly. "I thought we could do it like when I asked Mama to marry me. Remember? You kept it quiet and when we planned it, you told her?"

"Yeah, we did good. She said yes!" Seth fist pumps.

"Uh huh," I agree, nodding my head. She did say yes and now they married.

"You did great," Mama agrees smiling at us both. "And we were hoping you could do it like that again, but for the whole family?"

"We can, but what we gotta do?" Seth asks shrugging.

"You just don't tell anybody right now and when we get them all here for dinner or something, we'll discuss how we'll let you tell them," Mama explains.

"So we get to tell them?" I ask.

Daddy nods. "Yep, just like you told Mama I wanted to marry her. But, just like then, don't say anything until we tell you to. Can you do that?"

Seth rolls his eyes. "Of course, Daddy. We the best secret keepers. Ain't we Jake?"

"We are." I nod right along beside him.

Mama starts laughing loudly and I don't know why, but I start laughing too. Before long we all laughing and Daddy scoops us all in a big hug. "I love you, dudes."

When he lets us go, I say, "Love you, too, Daddy. Now will you read to us? I tired."

He smiles and stands, holding out his hand. "Of course, let's go."

We give Mama kisses then go upstairs where Daddy reads to us til we fall asleep.

* * *

 **This is just a little something I came up with and thought it'd be cute. I still haven't finished chapter 42, but hope to do that today. So we're going with chapter 40 posting Wednesday and 41 the following Wednesday. That should give me a little time to write more.**

 **I posted a new story yesterday that I 'think' will be my next venture so check that out and weigh in if you haven't please. Replies may be slow, but I will definitely get to them all :)**

 **See you Wednesday!**


	41. Changes Ahead

**Fran makes it shine, but all mistakes are mine. Lissa, Michele and Vampiregirl93 read for me.**

* * *

 **Day 141**

 **EPOV**

 _Day 56_

As I enter our bedroom after reading the boys their story, I find Bella propped up against the headboard. But what draws my eyes is the folder that is resting across her lap. The same folder she and Tanya so blatantly laughed in my face over.

I kick my shoes off and dive onto the bed. "What's this?" I ask, attempting to lift the corner and peep inside.

Bella smacks my hand away. "In a minute. Get changed and join me in the bed. I want to share something with you."

Excitedly, I jump up and start stripping. She watches with amusement as I sling clothes in every direction in my haste to see what the fuck she's hiding in there.

Her giggles fill my ears as I shred everything but my briefs. I stop and flex a couple times to feed into her good mood before crawling in beside her. "I showed you mine now you show me yours."

She shakes her head and rolls her eyes. "So impatient."

"Are you fucking kidding? It's been eight excruciating days since you received that folder and I've been left wondering the whole time," I retort.

She places her hand on my cheek. "Well then, I hope what's in here will make it up to you."

"I'm just fucking with you, baby, but I am curious," I say, kissing her palm.

She takes her hand back and opens the folder, sitting it on my lap. At first, I'm confused at what's in front of me, but after I scan several pages, it all starts to become clearer.

My wide eyes snap to her hopeful ones. "Is this … "

She starts nodding and smiling. "Yes! I hope it's okay that I did this?" She's unsure and I can't have that.

I lean over and press my lips to hers so firmly that I have to anchor her in place with my hand on the back of her neck. When I've completely poured my whole self into her, I pull back and push my forehead against hers.

"Okay? Are you crazy?" I say excitedly. "I'm fucking ecstatic. Over the goddamn moon. Do you really think we're ready for this? That Jake's ready for this?"

She sighs and pulls away, looking pensive. "I figured it would be a slow process. That it'll take time to organize and remodel. I was hoping that if you got started now, by the time you truly need to be there full time, the boys would be ready to go back to Esme's."

"You've really considered this?" I ask softly.

"I have." She nods. "This is who you are, Edward. And I want you to have that. I want you to fulfill your dreams, too."

"Baby," I start, "my dreams have already come true ten times over. I have everything I'll ever need right here in this house." I rub my hand over her stomach. "But if you really think we're ready for this then I do want it. I want it so much."

Her eyes soften "Then do it, Edward. I hope I've at least given you a good head start."

"You've given me more than a good start, baby. You've given me a ton of properties to check out," I say, and my smile grows wider every second, the excitement bubbling in my chest.

"Will you be able to do that and take care of the boys?" she asks uncertainly. Last night we discussed that she would be returning to work for three days a week, starting Monday.

My mind automatically starts churning and a proposal starts forming. I could definitely handle this whole start-up _and_ the boys if the right person was by my side.

Already knowing who that is, I give her a nod. "I think it's manageable. I know just who to hire to be my trusted second," I assure her.

She gets a knowing look. "Are you thinking what I think you are?"

I smirk. "I believe I am."

"Perfect."

 _Day 60_

"Higher, Daddy," Seth yells.

I chuckle and give him an even firmer shove as his swing comes back in my direction. His giggles fill the air as he soars even higher. Bella's standing in front of them, snapping away with her camera. She starts back to work in the morning and we wanted to spend the day together as a family.

I step over behind Jake to give him a push. "You want to go higher, dude?"

"No, Daddy. I not like it too high," he says shaking his head.

"It's fun to go high, Jake," Seth calls, soaring by.

"Nuh, huh," Jake yells back. "I not like high."

Seth drags his feet across the ground a couple times to slow himself down. "Okay, I go slow wif you then."

With both of them now slowed, I position myself between them and am able to keep them swinging with an arm pushing each boy. The joy on Bella's face as she happily snaps pictures makes me smile even brighter.

Lost in the happiness of the moment, I almost miss when Seth jumps from his seat and lands on all fours in the sand in front of him. Bella's gasps and almost drops her camera in her haste to get to him. Just before she swoops him up, I intervene.

Stepping in her path, I hold out my arms. "I got this, baby." I turn and drop down beside Seth. "You okay, dude?" I ask, pulling him into a sitting position.

He wipes his hands together and looks at his palms. "I okay. My hands is red, though," he says, holding them up for me to see.

"Let me see." I take his hands look them over, and then I check out his knees. "Looks like you'll be okay, dude. What you think?"

He nods in agreement. "I okay."

I ruffle his hair and stand to pull him up with me. "You're good to go."

He takes off for the jungle gym a few yards away, back to his wide open self. "Stop me, Daddy," Jake calls. "I gots to go wif Seth."

I step back over and stop his barely moving swing. He slides down carefully and takes off, trying his best to catch up with Seth.

Bella starts toward me as I watch him go. "What was that all about?" she asks, tilting her head in the direction of the boys.

I throw my arm across her shoulder and start leading us in their direction. I'm trying to figure out how to explain this so she won't be offended. "It was nothing really. It's just … well, they're boys, you know?"

She stops and pulls away to look at me. "And that means what exactly?" Her head is tilted at just the right angle to let me know that if I say the wrong thing, that eyebrow will rise into her hairline.

Trying to make this easier on me, I pretend she isn't waiting for me to stick my foot in my mouth. So I try to nudge her back in the direction we were headed. "It's not important. Let's just go take more pictures."

She stiffens her body, refusing my prodding. "No, Edward." Her hand goes to her hip and now there's no avoiding this. She means business. "What are you trying not to say?"

I look over to the jungle gym, making sure the boys are good before taking a deep breath and blowing it out. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but … well"―I swallow the lump in my throat―"you can't baby them every time something happens."

Not one, but both fucking brows rise. "They are my babies, Edward. I can baby them all I want."

My shoulder slump and I step closer, running my palms down her arms and taking her hands. "Look, Bella, I get it. They _are_ your babies. But they're little dudes, too, and you need to realize not everything is a 'swoop them up' moment."

"Is this one of those 'they need to learn to suck it up' speeches?" she asks incredulously.

My eyes focus on our joined hands between us for a minute before looking back to hers. "No, not exactly. It's just … well, you have to assess a situation before you run in like the mother in shining armor." I sigh. "We just need to let them be boys, and sometimes and that includes toughening out the small stuff."

"But they're not tough, they're babies," she argues softly.

I run my fingers up her cheek and slide them into her hair, cupping the side of her face. "Of course they're babies, our babies, but sometimes we just have to take a step back and show them they're okay instead of automatically assuming they're not."

She closes her eyes for a second and when she opens them, her acceptance is there. "I can _try_ ," she stresses. "But I make no promises."

"I know," I say and peck her pouty lips. Curving my arm around her shoulder, I lead us toward our babies. "You'll get there. Small steps."

"Yes," she agrees. " _Baby_ steps."

I chuckle and pull the camera from her hands, urging her to join them so I can snap some pictures of my own.

 _Day 68_

"It's about damn time you answered the phone," Jay says in lieu of a hello.

"Yeah, yeah, I know. Sorry, man, been busy these past couple days," I say, brushing off his attitude.

I've actually been ignoring him for about four days now. When I talked to him, I wanted to have something worth talking about. All last week was spent looking through the properties Bella had lined up and now I've narrowed it down to just a handful of potential choices. Bella's helped me along the way, but ultimately it has to be my decision.

I've put a lot of thought into things lately and realized that having a family has changed my entire outlook. Before, all I wanted was a fine dining establishment―somewhere I could impress―but now, I find myself wanting something completely different. Yeah, I want to be able to make magic with my creations, but why can't I still do that and have it be family friendly, too. I think it can.

"What could you possibly be doing that's so important you couldn't return my calls?" Jay asks, bringing me back to the conversation. "Wait, Jake's okay, right?" There's a tinge of worry in his voice with this thought.

Now I feel guilty so I rush to assure him. "No, man, everything is fine, great actually. Jake's bloodwork is looking exactly like it should with no sign of any complications so far."

He blows out a gust of air. "Good, man, that's super. So why the fuck haven't you called me back?"

I smile to myself at his attitude. For once, I'm doing the ribbing and it feels pretty fucking good. "Ah, you know, just doing shit." I smile wider enjoying every minute of this torture.

"Cut the shit. What the fuck's up with you," Jay demands, exasperation clear in his tone.

I sigh into the line and decide to let him know what's really up. "Look, Jay, I have been avoiding you for a reason. I didn't want to talk to you until I had a clearer picture in my head of what I wanted to say, but I think I can do that now; hence the answering your call."

"What the actual fuck are you even talking about right now?" he asks with a slight chuckle in his voice. "Riddles, man, you're talking in riddles."

"Fuck, I am aren't I?" I say, running my hand through my hair. "Okay, man, here goes. Now, hear me out. No fucking interruptions, okay?"

"Oh, boy, this oughta be good. My brother's nervous as hell and wants me to just sit and listen. Now, what have you done? I can't even begin to imagine," he snarks.

I clear my throat and begin to make my case. "I haven't done anything per say unless you consider solidifying my life here in Seattle as doing something―"

"Solidifying your life? What the fuck, man. How much more solid could it get?" Jay interrupts even though I asked him not to.

"Shut. The. Fuck. Up. And. Listen," I say enunciating every single word. This is so not the way I wanted this conversation to go. "Goddamn, man, I'm sorry, but fuck. I have something important to discuss and you're giving me shit."

I can almost hear his eyes rolling through the line. "Aw, quit being such a pansy. I'm just fucking with you. Last time you called me like this you were getting married the next week so I can only imagine what you've done this time."

I shake my head and have to laugh. He's right. I am acting like a big pussy who's done something stupid, when in fact, I have a serious proposition to lay out to him; something I hope he doesn't think is a whim. Something I hope he will actually stop and consider.

I blow out a gust of air and start talking. "All right, man. Here it is," I say. "Bella gifted me with a folder of properties last week. Potential restaurant properties."

"Ahh, now we're getting somewhere," he breaks in.

"Yeah, we are. Now shut up and listen," I joke. "The thing is, I've changed my perspective. My life now is worlds apart from what it was in Chicago. Yeah, I still want a restaurant, but I'm thinking of a different type of place than I was planning to open there. Somewhere the family I have now would enjoy going."

"I can see that," he agrees. "And it's entirely doable while still injecting yourself into it."

"Exactly!" I say and smile because my fucking brother just gets me. "But, um … you know … "

"Come on, man. Say it. What's the hesitation for?" he prods.

"You know what? Fuck this shit," I expel. "Jay, I want you and the family to move to Seattle and I want you to run this restaurant with me." There, it's out in the open. Sure, I didn't ease into it, but it is what it is and if I know my brother, he'll still consider my request seriously, no matter how uncouth the delivery.

The line remains quiet, but I just wait him out. I know his mind is taking in what I said and churning it around. He's processing.

Finally, he speaks. "Wow, okay. Um … I guess we should discuss it further before I tell you that you've lost your damn mind." He chuckles. "The thing is, though, I don't think you have. You know Vic and I have discussed buying a house out there. A place we can come to when we visit, because we plan to visit as often as possible. We love you, bro, and your family. We miss you terribly."

A small smile curves up my lips. "Man, we miss you, too. All the time I'm missing out on Leah; watching her grow up like I did with the boys. And these phone calls are okay, but I'd much rather sit and talk and have a beer while you keep me sane when I'm freaking out over shit. The bottom line is, though, I need you here _with_ me. I need you by my side when I start this venture. We can make it an equal partnership, you can just be my manager, whatever works for you, but I want you here with me when I commit to this."

"You know Dad's going to shit a brick, right?" he asks with a chuckle.

"That sounds like you've already decided," I push, feeling my excitement build. Maybe he doesn't think I'm crazy at all.

"Slow your roll, man." He snorts and I can picture him rolling his eyes. "I haven't said yes … yet. You know I have to talk to Vic first."

The small smile I was sporting now turns into a full, shit-eating grin. Family is everything to Vic. She's been like a big sis to me practically since her and Jay started dating. I can't even imagine her saying no. She has no ties to Chicago except Jay. Her family lives in California and Seattle's just a couple hours away by plane.

"Well you do that and get back to me," I say still smiling.

He chuckles. "Man, I can almost picture the smile you're sporting. So transparent, geesh. But you're right; I can't imagine her being opposed to the idea. It's not easy living so far away from the people we care most about."

My smile falls, but my heart soars. "Ditto, man. I think that between the two of us, we can open a successful restaurant and still be there for our families. It'll take a lot of work to get started and we'll have to have the perfect team working for us, but if we do that right, we won't have to put in those eighty-hour weeks some new owners do."

"Are you ready to put the Chicago building on the market?" he asks. I'd called off all work on it, but since then, it's been left sitting in a frozen state.

I think it through for a minute and then with a nod he can't even see, I say, "Yeah, man, it's time. Just contact a real estate agent and let them do all the work. I want your focus on figuring out a timeline to get here."

"After I talk to Vic I'll have a better idea … _if_ we're even coming"―he chuckles, but I know he's full of shit―"but I'd say the first step would be finding a house out there."

"Okay," I say. "Do you need me to see if I can come up with properties for you? Tanya did an excellent job finding prospective restaurant sites. I can ask Bella to have her work her magic again if you want?"

Now he outright laughs. "What the fuck is so funny?" I demand.

When he can rein in his laughter, he fills me in between escaping chuckles. "You mean _the_ Tanya?" He's still having a hard time containing his humor.

I roll my eyes. "Oh yeah, laugh it up, but I'll have you know she's a decent person. She's loyal to Bella and as soon as she knew who I was, her attitude did a complete reversal. Besides, we hooked her up with the reporter, Garrett, and they seem to be going strong."

He sobers some at this information. "Good. Then, yeah, if you can get us a few potential houses to look at, we'd appreciate it greatly … well, if Vic's interested, that is."

I snort. "What the fuck ever. I'll get it started ASAP."

"Thanks, man. Okay, let me go talk to the wife and I'll be in touch soon," he says.

I almost want to stop him from hanging up and fill him in on the baby, but I don't. I guess our family announcement will just have to revolve around when they make the trip to look at houses.

"All right, sounds good. Tell Vic and the kids we love and miss them and I'll be waiting to hear from you," I tell him.

"We miss you, too, all of you. Later, man."

"Later."

I hang up the phone and allow the excitement to settle. My brother is definitely going to make this happen and I couldn't be any more over the fucking moon.

Life is as close to perfect as it could ever be right now.

* * *

 **So I don't know if you noticed or not, but my replies have been all lowercase letters. Sorry, but my left shift key is broke and I'm just not accustomed to the right.**

 **I did get a chapter finished (woot), so I'm still two chapters ahead. I will get to all replies, but with the holidays they may be delayed.**

 **See you next Wednesday :)**


	42. Tow Away Zone

**As always Fran is my polisher, but all mistakes are mine. Lissa, Vampiregirl93 and Michele read for me.**

* * *

 **Remember, the bold days at the beginning of each chapter are days since ExB met, and the italic days are days since the transplant.**

 **Day 160**

 **BPOV**

 _Day 75_

I've been back to work part time for two weeks and things are starting to feel normal again. Sure, I'm always watching, waiting, for something to appear wrong with Jake, but so far, he's doing so well. His counts are rising with each visit to see Carlisle and his second nap almost isn't even needed anymore.

My baby is going to be okay.

That thought alone is enough to overfill my heart, but I have other things to be grateful for, too. My hand slides down to caress my still flat stomach and I sigh in complete contentment. Edward and I have created a life. A life from the love we share, not in an attempt to save our son.

At the time, I never considered anything but Jacob and what he needed to live. Of course, I would've loved any baby we made, but knowing this life I now grow comes completely from love, means more than I can express. I'm thankful things worked out this way and can only describe my thoughts back then as desperate.

Any attempt I could make was on the table, up for discussion, because, as a mother, I would do whatever it took. It's behind me now. My mind has settled and I realize it may not have been the wisest choice, but in the end, everything turned out the way it was supposed to.

We're a family.

"Bella," Tanya says into the intercom, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Yes," I respond.

"I have Mike Newton on line two," she says back and I can imagine her lifted brow.

"Thanks, Tanya." I laugh lightly.

I take a minute to remember back to the last time Mike and I spoke. The emotions that flicker through me range from sorrow at the beginning, where my eyes automatically burn, and run the gamut bringing me to today.

Ending with complete contentment.

Anxious to speak with him again and hear about his adventure, I pick up the receiver. "Mike, so good to hear from you again."

"Bella," he says, his voice almost sounding relieved. "Thank God I was able to get in touch with you."

"Mike, what is it? Why do you sound so out of sorts?" I ask, already tensing with thoughts of something horrible happening to him.

"Bella, what do you mean me?" he asks, incredulously. "I get back to the country last night to at least ten messages on my machine from Mom. Each one is progressively worse than the last."

I lean forward, propping my elbows on my desk. "Mrs. Newton? Did something happen? Is she okay?"

"What? No, no, Bella. They were all about you!" he says, a little more excited than necessary.

I lean back in my chair and relax. "Ah, okay. Well, a lot has happened while you were away, but it just so happens that everything is perfect again. So calm down and let that sink in. Everything is perfectly fine with Jacob and me right now."

"So all of the stuff she said wasn't true?" he asks, confused.

"I didn't say things weren't true, besides I have no idea what you've heard, but I am saying that if you heard the truth, which is bad enough, that it's all okay now. Jacob is well on the path to healing, and well, I'm married to his father," I explain the highlights of the past six months.

"Bella? Jacob was switched at birth. As in he's not the baby you were pregnant with?" He focuses on this aspect for now.

I nod even though he can't see me. "Yes, Mike. Jake is not the son I carried. I actually have two sons now. Seth; that's my other son's name."

"No, Bella, no. You don't understand," he says almost frantically. "I need to see you. We need to speak in person as soon as you're available."

"Um, am I missing something, Mike?" I ask not understanding his insistence.

He sighs deeply into the line. "I don't know for sure, but I do have something to tell you. It may be nothing, but it could also be huge. Please, when can I see you?"

I twirl the cord of my desk phone around my fingers as I consider his request. My life is something completely foreign to where it was when he left. Of course, I'd never remove him from Jake's life as long as wants to remain a part, but I can't help to think of Edward right now and how he might feel.

That earns a slight giggle.

Jealous asshole husband might just make an appearance. And that thought has me clenching my thighs, but I have no time to go there right now.

I clear my throat. "Sure, Mike. We can get together soon."

"No," he insists. "I seriously mean soon, Bella. I need to speak with you as quickly as possible."

His tone is giving me pause. What could Mike Newton, who's been out of the country for the last six months, possibly have to say that would make him sound so desperate? "Okay, Mike. When would you like to meet?" I ask, giving in to his constant prodding.

"Does dinner tonight work?" he asks quickly.

My brows lift. "Um, well, it's probably too late for dinner, but we could do lunch tomorrow. I only work on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday."

He lets out a deep breath. "Okay, lunch tomorrow. I can deal with that."

"I don't know what's going on with you, but now you have me very curious," I tell him. "Are you sure everything is okay?"

"I … I honestly don't know. Guess we'll see tomorrow." His tone is pensive as if he's carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders.

"You do realize that my husband, Edward, will probably join us. Are you okay with that?" I ask when actually I'm just giving him fair warning.

"Yeah … um, sure. And he's Jake's biological father?" he asks, then continues very quickly in a joking manner. "Leave the country for a little while and look what I come back to. You're married and have two kids instead of one."

My hand automatically slides down to caress my ten-week non-bump. If he only knew. But now isn't the time, and our families don't even know yet. "Yeah, it was a whirlwind, encompassing so many emotions it'd be hard to express, but where I am now"―I let out a ridiculous girly sigh―"is where I was always meant to be. I'd never take a moment of it back, even my little boy's suffering. Without it, we would've never known about Seth … or Edward."

"Wow," Mike says. "You talk about it as if it is a fairy tale and not the hardest thing you could ever face as a parent."

I think about that for a minute before I respond. "At this moment, right now, it does seem like a fairy tale. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't an easy road―especially for Jake, but he was sick whether we found out about the switch or not. Now he and I have so much more than we started with and he's well, or as close as he has been since the nightmare started. So yeah, where we are now _is_ the fairy tale. We couldn't have dreamed up a better outcome."

"I look forward to meeting your prince charming then," he says and I can hear the smile in his voice, but it's also tinged with a touch of melancholy.

"Thank you," I say sincerely. "You'll have to fill me in on your work, too. I can't wait to hear all about Africa."

"Yeah, sure. If you want to hear it, I can do that," he replies, nervously.

My lips purse at his words, but I decide to ignore it and worry about what he needs to get off his chest when I see him. "Okay, sounds perfect. Where would you like to meet?"

"Is it possible that I could come to yours?" he asks shyly.

"Sure, Mike. That shouldn't be a problem and I'm sure Jake would love to see you again. Oh, and you can meet Seth," I say, trying to sound excited.

"Ah, I don't think that's a good idea. Not for this meeting. Could you, uh … could you have Renee watch them for a little while?" he asks and now I'm getting anxious.

"I'm sure that won't be a problem, but, Mike, you're worrying me," I tell him meaning every word. There's something he needs to say and whatever it is, it's placing a burden on him.

"I know and I'm sorry, but I need to say this face to face. And maybe it means nothing, but it could mean everything," he tells me mysteriously.

"Okay, how about I'll see you tomorrow, say noonish. My house," I confirm the details for him.

"Works for me. I'll see you tomorrow, Bella." The line goes silent and I can't keep the ball of dread from building in my stomach.

As I do my work for the rest of the day, my mind stumbles back to mine and Mike's conversation. I can't even begin to imagine what he could possibly have to say that would make him so on-edge and uncertain, something that has him concerned about my reaction.

Deciding I'll know soon enough, I do my best to put it from my mind and focus on my work.

.

.

When I walk in the door, the first thing I hear is the pattering of feet running from the kitchen.

"Mama," Seth calls. "You home." He runs into my open arms and gets his hello kisses.

"We was helping Daddy cook dinner," Jake says taking his turn right after I let go of Seth.

I give him kisses all over his cheeks. "Mmm, smells good. What did you cook?" I ask humoring him.

"Daddy fried some chicken and me and Seth mixed the salad," he replies, taking my hand to lead me toward the kitchen where Edward is standing at the stove.

"Hey, baby," he says, smiling. "Why don't you go change and I'll have this on the table when you get back?"

Walking over, I curve my arms around his neck. "Sounds good." I peck his lips and leave him standing there watching me retreat with an extra sway in my hips.

I hurry up the stairs to change into my comfy clothes and take down my hair. By the time I return to the kitchen, Edward and the boys are already seated and waiting for me. We have another wonderful family dinner followed by a movie before I take them up and get them into the tub then PJs.

When we come out of the bathroom, Edward is leaning up against the wall, a book already in hand, waving it in the air. "You dudes ready for bed?" he asks.

Seth fist pumps. "Oh yeah."

Jake pulls on my hand so I lean down. "Night, Mama, love you," he says and gives me kisses. I grab him and squeeze him hard just because.

"Night, baby. See you in the morning," I say then turn to Seth. "You forgetting something?" I ask pointing to my cheek.

"No way," he says, walking over and giving me a little hug and kiss.

"Night, sweetie," I say leaning back up. "Love you both."

They take off down the hall calling for Daddy to hurry up on the way.

I giggle at their exuberance and turn to my sexy, smirking husband. He's like a billboard for the perfect dad, leaning there with a children's book in his hand.

Little does he know I'm going to turn that smirk into a sneer before the night is over. I step closer. "I'm going to shower and I'll be waiting for you," I say in a seductive voice.

His brows rise. "Yeah?"

I smirk. "Yeah, we need to talk."

Those brows that were high on his head now wrinkle together. "Talk?"

I sigh and place my hand on his chest. "I had an interesting phone call today and we have lunch plans tomorrow. Go read to the boys and I'll fill you in soon." I kiss his lips lightly and leave him standing in the hall.

Once I've showered and get into bed, I grab a book to wait for Edward. It doesn't take but a few minutes before he's entering the room. "The boys asleep that fast?" I ask.

"Oh, yeah, they only had one nap today," he replies already slinging his T-shirt to the floor.

A smile lights my face. "Really? Jake didn't seem awfully tired tonight either. This is amazing news."

"It is. Now I don't know if it'll be every day yet, but it's definitely a start." He drops his jeans to the floor and crawls up beside me in the bed.

"An amazing start," I say. "I didn't expect it to be this soon."

"We'll take what we can get," Edward says and places a gentle kiss on my lips. Of course, in no time that gentle kiss becomes heated. The hum takes hold and starts to spread.

I almost allow it, until I remember that we have to talk. I push my hands on his chest and pull away. "Baby, we have to talk and I'm not sure how you're going to feel about what I have to say."

"Okay," he says and adjusts his cock. My eyes follow his movements and it almost derails my thoughts, but this has to be done. When I meet his eyes again, he smirks. "Talk."

I position myself so that I'm sitting before him, Indian style. "Mike called me today."

He stares at me without a clue. "My ex-fiancé, Mike."

His eyes widen. "Okay."

I sigh and focus on my hands that sit in my lap. "He's back from Africa and I thought he'd called to reconnect, but it seems he has something he wants to say." I meet Edward's eyes again. "I'm not sure what it's about, but he seemed nervous and anxious. So I agreed to lunch tomorrow."

"I see." Edward swallows and I watch his Adam's apple bob. "So you're going to lunch with your ex-fiancé." His eyes are unreadable, but his jaw is tight.

I roll my eyes and scoot closer, my knees touching him now. "No, silly. _We're_ having my ex-fiancé over for lunch tomorrow."

"Excuse me," he sputters. "You invited him _here_?"

I sit up on my knees and crawl even closer, placing my hand on his bare chest. "Of course. I _knew_ you'd want to meet him." I smirk. "And besides, whatever it is, he wants to speak in private. He even asked that my mom keep the boys."

Edward takes my hand and holds it between his. "What do you think he wants?" he asks, worry lining his features.

"I don't know. He was very vague, but also positive that he had something to say." I sigh. "I guess we'll see tomorrow. Um, if … if you don't want to cook for him, we can always order something," I offer, knowing that throwing my ex on Edward isn't the nicest thing I could do, although when Maria showed up the situation was reversed times ten for me.

"Baby." He cradles my cheek and pulls my face closer. "I'd never treat any guest of yours that way, even if it is your ex-fucking-fiancé," he says with the sneer I imagined earlier.

I have to giggle because he's just too cute. "You know he's just a friend, right? We were over before Jake was even conceived."

"I know, baby. I still don't know how I'm going to feel meeting a man you almost married," he replies.

I push my hands up and through his wild hair, pulling his lips to mine for a heated kiss. After thoroughly plundering his mouth with my tongue, I snatch my lips away. "I'm yours, baby. Only yours. I've only _ever_ been yours. Remember that."

He leans so close I can feel his breath fan across my face. "I think I need more reminding." His lips descend on mine and I remind him just who I belong to for the next two hours.

 _Day 76_

The sound of the doorbell has me wiping my sweaty palms against my pant leg. I don't know what Mike has to say, but unease has settled in my gut.

Edward stands and guides us over to the door. I take a deep breath and pull it open to greet a very different-looking Mike than I last saw. Don't get me wrong, it's a good different, except for the paleness of his skin and his sweaty brow.

"Mike, are you okay? Come in and have a seat. Do you need something to drink?" I'm a bumbling mess trying to usher him into the house.

Thankfully, my amazing husband steps in and takes over, guiding me to the recliner and turning to Mike. "Please, have a seat. What can I get you to drink?"

"Uh, I'll take whatever," Mike utters.

Edward turns back to me with a lifted brow and I just shrug. "I told you," my eyes say.

"Lemonade sound good, baby?" he asks.

"Yes, please." I give him a smile of appreciation and focus back on Mike while Edward goes to the kitchen.

I clear my throat. "Um, that was Edward, my husband."

Mike nods. "Yeah, I figured." Then he looks straight at me and I see the anguish in his eyes. Whatever he has to say is weighing him down. "Look, Bella, I know we said we'd do lunch and it smells great in here, but I want to"―he stops and shakes his head―"no I _need_ to get this out."

I sit up and give him my full attention just as Edward comes back with our drinks. He hands me mine and turns back to Mike. "Here you go, man." After he takes it, Edward holds out his hand. "I'm Edward Masen by the way and I understand you're Mike and have something you need to say to us."

Mike takes his hand but refuses to meet his eyes. "Uh, yeah, I do. Could you have a seat?"

Edward walks over and takes his place on the arm of my chair. With both of our attention on Mike, he starts speaking. "Bella, do you remember when you were pregnant with Jake and I was dating that nurse at the hospital? Jessica?"

Thinking back, I try to pinpoint exactly which nurse he means. Mike spiraled after we split and dated several nurses, but I think I vaguely remember one named Jessica. "I think so. I'm not completely positive because you dated several nurses."

"Yeah, but Jessica was the one I dated for a few months while you were pregnant," he explains, watching my expression carefully.

I really try hard to pinpoint this Jessica, but nothing's coming … oh wait. "Do you mean the one who stopped me in the hall that day after my bloodwork and told me even the baby wouldn't bring you back?"

Mike's head falls, his chin on his chest, but I can still see it bob. "Yeah, her."

I don't know what I expected his confession to be, but going back to some nurse he dated was never in my thoughts. I figured he might have issues with how fast my life has changed or some concerns about Jake.

"What about her?" Edward speaks, breaking the silence. I take in my husband's appearance and notice his body is rigid, arms crossed over his chest.

Mike's tormented eyes look toward us again. "You see, when I dated her, well she―" He breaks off unable to continue.

I wait patiently for him to gather himself, but my husband does not. "She what?" he demands, jaw clenched tightly together, leaning forward to make his point.

I place my hand on Edward's arm, intending to bring calm, but it's no use at this point. He's like a rubber band, stretched to its limits.

"She thought Bella's baby was mine," Mike spits out, making my head snap back in his direction.

"What?" I ask on a gasp.

He gets on his knees and crawls over, stopping at my feet. "Bella, please understand I had no idea." He's almost crying, the anguish in his voice is so much.

Edward leans forward, putting his face right in Mike's. "What type of nurse was she?" he asks, spitting out the words.

I don't quite understand where this is going, but it seems my husband has a clue and he's livid.

Finally, Mike utters, "Labor and Delivery." His eyes are downcast and his voice is low, but I still hear him.

My stomach churns.

My blood races.

My mind spins.

I open my mouth, but no words come.

Edward's hand starts rubbing circuits over my back and his voice is in my ear soothing me. "It's okay, baby. We need to hear this. Are you okay?"

I can't speak, but I nod.

Edward's hard eyes turn back to Mike, who's still positioned at my feet. "Spit it out." It's a cold, hard demand and Mike has no choice but to comply.

Mike grabs my hands and squeezes them between his. "Bella, I swear I had no idea. Just listen to me, please."

I give him a faint nod as I can barely move for fear of losing my breakfast.

He takes a deep breath and lays it all out, looking at the floor the whole time. "Jessica thought that Jake was mine, and while I knew it wasn't true, I never corrected her. It made it sorta … more fun that way. She was jealous and we'd fight and make up … well, it was hot." He shrugs, eyes still focused on the floor. "But then, when Jake was born"―he looks up with tears running down his cheeks―"I thought she'd lost it. She kept telling me the baby wasn't mine and that I should have a DNA test. She insisted to the point that I finally just broke up with her. I knew he wasn't mine. I just figured she was fun while she lasted."

Edward stands and starts pacing. His movements are fast and harsh. His hands are buried in his hair and his eyes are wild. He stops and faces us again. "So you're saying that a nurse, who worked in the Labor and Delivery department when Jake was born, kept _insisting_ that _you_ ―who she was allowed to believe was the father―was in fact, _not_ the father?"

Mike bows his head on my knees and his shoulders shake with his sobs. "I didn't know," he cries through his sobs. "I didn't know."

I watch the scene unfold in front of me, completely numb. I don't react to Mike's pleas, I don't react to my husband's anger, I just … don't react.

Until Edward loses his grip and comes over, snatching Mike up by his collar, his feet left to dangle from the floor. "You sorry sack of shit. I should beat the ever-loving fuck out of you right now!" Spittle is flying from his mouth with Mike's face only inches away. "How the fuck could you let this happen?" He shakes him and Mike only quakes in his grip.

Tears leak from Mike faster now and he's gripping Edward's arms in a plea. "I didn't know," he repeats over and over.

Finally, my senses come back to me and I jump up, grabbing Edward's arm. "Baby," I snap.

His eyes, which have been glued to Mike, slowly move in my direction. My hands work their way to where he's fisting Mike's shirt, and while holding his eyes with mine, I grab his hands trying to loosen his grip.

His brows furrow at my actions. I let go and move to where I can cup his face in both my hands. "Listen to me," I say sternly. "You have to stop. This isn't Mike's fault."

"Bullshit," Edward spits.

I hold his face tighter. "No. _It's not_. This is Jessica's fault, _maybe_ , but even so … don't you see? There would be no us, no Jake and Seth as brothers, no all of us as a family, none of this would even exist if it weren't for that switch."

His grip loosens and Mike slumps, barely able to stand, but I can't focus on that at the moment. My eyes are glued to Edward. "You'd be in Chicago with Jake and I'd be in Seattle with Seth and that'd be it. We'd have never met, _they'd_ have never met. This switch was our miracle. It gave us the fairytale and I can't wish that it hadn't happened."

My own tears are leaking out and Edward's eyes start to fill with wetness. With a slight nod, he gives his acquiescence and pulls me to him. "I love you, baby. I'd never wish it away. You and Jake have made our lives complete."

"Exactly," I agree. "Now, I still want to see the guilty punished because she's a psychotic idiot, but I can't blame Mike." I see him on the couch with his head in his hands and at my words, he lifts to meet my eyes. "There's no way you could've known how depraved she was so I can't blame you, but we will need you to give your statement."

He nods and stands, walking over to us both. "I'm sorry, so, so, sorry."

Edward clears his throat and to my surprise speaks up. "No, I'm sorry. I kinda lost it for a minute there." He holds out his hand. "No hard feelings?"

Mike slumps in relief and finally allows the fear to retreat from his eyes. "Thanks," he says, grabbing Edward's hand.

After they shake, I lead Mike back to the couch while Edward places a call to my father. When he's done, he comes and squeezes in between us.

"The officer assigned to this case is on his way."

I allow a small smile to peek up the corner of my lips and focus on Mike. "So, you want to fill me in on Africa while we wait?"

His eyes widen, but then his lips curve. "Um … sure," he says still hesitant, but then his smile turns more genuine as understanding dawns. "Thank you, Bella."

* * *

 **I hope you all had a super great Holiday filled with everything that makes you happy and wish you all the best and brightest New Year!**

 **Sorry, I didn't get to many replies last chapter and almost waited until Monday to post this one because I won't be able to reply to these either. But I thought you'd rather have the chapter than replies. Please know that I read them all and appreciate every single one. I promise next week I will be back to replying 100 percent!**

 **Please go check out the Age of Edward entries if you haven't, and don't forget to leave the authors some love! Link is on my profile.**

 **See you in 2016 :)**


	43. Construction Zone

**As always, Fran makes them pretty, but mistakes are mine. Lissa, Michele and Vampiregirl93 read for me.**

* * *

 **Day 175**

 **EPOV**

 _Day 90_

It's been two weeks since Mike's little revelation, and fuck, if it wasn't a damn satisfying two weeks. Jessica Stanley, AKA Sluttica―yes the very same one that was humping Alec in his office―has been arrested and charged with the intentional switch of our children.

It was pretty easy with Mike's statement to make an arrest since they had interviews from all nurses on shift at the time. Basically, she had already corroborated his story, only not the intentional part. It wasn't a premeditated act, but an opportune one. The moment presented itself and she took advantage with hopes of landing herself a doctor husband, who didn't have an ex-fiancé and new baby.

All in all, Bella and I are satisfied to know she won't be getting away with her actions, but also realize, that without them, our family wouldn't exist. It's a hard concept to wrap my head around sometimes, but I still hope the bitch suffers.

Today, I'm meeting Jay and we're going to check out some prospects for the restaurant. I have a short list of five places scheduled for us to see. Meanwhile, Bella and Vic are going to start on the list of homes Tanya was able to compile. When they narrow it down, Jay and Vic will make the final decision.

"Boys," I yell from the foot of the stairs. "If you want to go with Uncle Jay and me, you're going to have to come now. He'll be here any minute."

"Coming, Daddy," Seth yells, footsteps already pattering against the floor.

I shake my head and move back into the living room where Bella is perched with her laptop on her knees. I scoot in beside her on the couch. "Aren't you going to see these houses in person?" I ask, waving my hand toward the screen.

"We are," she answers, studying the screen carefully, almost ignoring my presence.

"Then why are you looking at them now?" When she continues to ignore me, I use my fingers and jab them in her ribs, eliciting a giggle.

She actually raises her head and looks at me. "Oh, sorry. Did you say something?" she asks, acting all innocent and shit.

"Who me?" I point to myself and shake my head. "No, I didn't say nothing. Nothing at all."

She lifts her hand and swats me on the chest. "Don't be a smartass." Closing her computer, she slides it to the coffee table and straddles my lap. My brows rise. "Sorry, baby. Was I forgoing my wifely duties and ignoring my big, strong man?" she asks, patronizing me.

Just as I'm about to pull her close enough to feel her big, strong man, footsteps on the stairs derail me. Dammit! Instead, I smirk. "I'm sure you can make it up to me later."

"Why you in Daddy's lap, Mama?" Seth asks as he and Jake join us in the living room.

Bella lets out that cute as hell giggle and turns to them. "All my boys are leaving me so I needed to give Daddy his kisses." She gets up and grabs onto Jake and starts planting kisses over his face. "Just like I'm going to do you."

I watch with a smile on my face as she smothers both boys in kisses while they giggle away. Then I wonder where the hell my kisses went. Deciding to remedy that, I jump up and join the fray. Our little family engages in a giggle-kiss-fest until the doorbell rings.

.

.

After crossing prospect number two from the list, we head back to the minivan. Only this time when the boys go to load in, a squabble breaks out between them.

"I wanna sit by Seth this time," Jared declares.

Jake crosses his arms over his chest and huffs. "No. Seth my bother, he sits wif me."

"You get him all the time, I don't. It's my turn," Jarred argues.

"All right, dudes. No reason to argue," I break in. "Seth, where do you want to sit?"

Seth, who was watching Jared and Jake go at it, looks to me. "I wanna sit wif Jake, Daddy."

"Seth," Jared whines. "Why do you always want to sit with that baby?"

I go to intervene, but before I can, Seth beats me to it. "Jake not a baby. We the same years old." He points to his chest with his thumb. "He my brother and I gonna sit wif him. You sit wif you brother." With that, he climbs into the van. "Come on, Jake."

Jake looks to Jared and sticks his tongue out before following Seth to the back row of seats. And even though I should admonish him for it, I can't help but feel blessed that my boys love each other so much. Jared has been in Seth's life as long as he can remember, but in a little over six months, Jake has become his person.

Jay gives me an eyebrow lift, but I just shake my head. "Sorry, man. It just fills my heart to the brim."

He nods easily. "I get it."

The next place we visit has potential. Lots of it, actually. The location is great and it's pretty much a blank slate with room for me to make it into my vision. Jay agrees and we put it on the shorter list that only contains this one at the moment.

After the next place is a fail, we make our way to the final option, and while it's okay, it doesn't compare to the other.

"Well, man," Jay, says, clamping his hand on my shoulder. "I'd say we've made a decision … unless you'd like to put some more properties together?"

I think it over for a minute. That one had all the room I'd ever need, it's close enough to home that I can get there in a hurry and it's a wide open, empty space. Perfect for turning into my dream.

I shake my head. "No. I think we found it."

Jay pulls me into a one-armed hug. "Congrats! I think it's perfect, too."

"All right, round up the troops," I say.

Jay puts his fingers to his mouth and lets a loud whistle loose. The boys, who were running around in the open space whooping and hollering, all stop and turn to us.

Jay waves his hand toward the door. "Let's load up!"

.

.

Later that evening when I make it to the room after reading to the boys, I find Bella on the bed with that damned laptop propped on her knees. Deciding to have a little fun, I start unbuttoning my shirt while giving her the sexiest stare I can produce. After the fourth button, she's still looking at the computer, seemingly oblivious that I'm in the room.

I clear my throat and undo the last button, then I stretch my arms wide, allowing my shirt to gape open and flex my chest muscles.

Nothing.

What the actual fuck?

I sling off my shirt and shoes and head on over to see what has her so interested that she can't even realize her sexy as fuck husband is in the room disrobing for her. Finally, when my knee lands on the bed, she looks up.

"Oh, hey, baby. The boys all set?" she asks and she's serious, she never even realized I was here.

Rolling my eyes, I move on up beside her and peek at the screen. Houses. Again she's looking at houses. "Yeah, they're already asleep. What's this?" I tap the screen with my finger. "I thought you and Vic checked these places out today."

Bella looks to me then, really looks to me, and the expression on her face tells me something's coming. She sets the computer on the bed beside her and faces me. "We did, and this one is more house than Vic and Jay are looking for"—she glances back at the laptop before turning her big brown eyes back to me—"but … well, I loved it."

After she says that, she just keeps her eyes on mine as if she's waiting for me to say something. I lift my brows in question not sure what that may be.

She huffs and looks longingly back at the screen. I reach over and grab the computer, bringing it to my lap. Moving the mouse, I start clicking through the pictures. Wow, this is a nice place. Six bedrooms, four baths, two living spaces, and a huge, fenced in back yard with a wooden swing set already in place.

Then I see the kitchen, and what a kitchen it is. Dark quartz countertops gleam with the under cabinet lights reflecting off the shiny surface. Stainless steel appliances include an oversized refrigerator, six burner range with built in griddle, double ovens large enough to hold a full sheet pan, a built-in convection microwave and an under counter wine cooler.

I whistle lowly to myself. Bella's kitchen isn't bad, but it's a big step down from mine at home. This one right here, though, it's a close comparison. When I finally look back to Bella, her expression has changed. She's been watching me and apparently she liked what she saw. Her eyes are hopeful now, and that's when I know.

She wants this house.

I open my mouth then snap my jaw set not knowing what to say. We've never discussed moving and I just decided on a spot for my restaurant with being close to home as a big plus.

With her eyes on me, looking so hopeful, brimming with barely contained excitement, I can only do one thing. "You want this house?" I ask, leaning closer to her.

With a timid nod, she starts explaining her reasons. "With the new baby we'll be at capacity here and what about the boys? Do you think they'll want to share a room forever? I mean I know they love each other now, but what about in ten years? They'll want their own space." She nods along as she lists the reason as if she's convincing herself as she speaks. Then she looks at me coyly. "Besides, what if we decide to have another baby? Where would we put—"

I stop her blabbering by pressing my lips to hers in a punishing kiss. Just hearing her talk of adding to our family is enough for me to agree to anything she wants. I'm a fucking blessed-ass man right now, but to think she's considering having more children with me?

Fucking perfect.

I slide my tongue between her lips and aggressively tangle it with hers. It turns me on so fucking much just considering that she wants to fill a six bedroom house with our kids. The laptop falls to the side as I push her back and cover her with my body. My thumbs tease the sides of her breasts as my hands skim down to reach around and cradle her plump ass, grinding our pelvises together. Her arms wrap around and pull me closer as her whimpers escape between our lips. My mind is completely gone now, and I rise up to start stripping her naked.

Her swollen lips form a smirk. "Am I to assume that's a yes?" she asks.

After pulling my T-shirt from her and flinging it across the room, I push our naked chests together. "Baby, you can have any house you want as long as you're willing to fill it with more kids."

Her arms twine around my neck and she grinds her cotton-covered heat against the harshness of my jeans. "Does that mean we can go look at it tomorrow after the sonogram?"

I push my lips to hers firmly for a second before pulling back and cradling her head between my hands. "If you're up to moving, then make the appointment, I'm in."

She giggles. "Don't you care where it is? I know you chose a site for your restaurant today."

I take a deep breath. "I did pick a place today and I did consider how close to home it was in my decision, but if this house is what you want, then who am I to say no?"

She pulls my lips to hers and gives me a bruising kiss. "And there's another reason I love you so much. You'd do anything to make us happy, but this one time it won't be a sacrifice." At my furrowed brow, she continues, "It's actually only two miles from here, and"—she draws out the word—"the house Vic wants is about a block away."

My brows go from furrowed to high up my head. Slowly, as the words really sink in, my lips curve upward until I'm sporting the widest grin. "Seriously?"

She nods her head and looks so proud of herself. "Yep, I thought you might like that."

"You have no idea," I say my lips already headed for her neck. "And I intend to show you just how much I like you," I mumble against her skin as my tongue slides out to taste.

"Do you want to know how much it costs?" she pants out, her head thrown back against the pillow.

I tug her lobe. "Don't care."

She hisses and grips my hair, her teeth scraping my cheek. "Edward, take me," she moans.

Wasting no time, I rise and unsnap the button of my jeans. Her breaths are coming in pants as her hooded eyes are focused on my fingers and then my bulge as I push my jeans down and off my legs. Reaching forward, she cups the outline of my cock. Even through my briefs, it feels so fucking good, but then skin meets skin as she reaches inside.

I clench my jaw to hold back the groan that wants to escape. Loving the feel of her hand, I crave something else that I know is even better. Grabbing the cotton that covers her from my seeking eyes, I tug. Knowing exactly what I want and wanting the same, she slides her hands to my waistband.

Within seconds, naked skin slides together. I pour myself into showing her exactly what she means to me. And in return, she shows me the same.

.

.

 _Day 98_

"Boys," I call up the stairs. "Could you come down for a minute?"

"Coming," Seth yells back and I just chuckle and shake my head, making my way to the couch where Bella is waiting.

With a kiss, I take my seat beside her. "Are you ready for this?"

She chuckles. "Ready? I think my mom already knows and is just waiting on pins and needles."

"Oh yeah?" I ask. "What did she say?"

"She hasn't really said anything, but she keeps looking at me strangely," Bella explains. "It's like she's studying me, trying to figure out exactly what's different."

I reach up and brush my fingers along her cheek. "Well, there is a glow here."

She rolls her eyes and waves her hands over her teeny bump that can still be hidden easily by a loose-fitting shirt. "More like a noticeable bulge here."

I throw my head back and laugh. "I think that's the general idea. You are carrying precious cargo in there." My hand slides down to cradle her stomach.

She smiles, but then turns serious. "How do you think the boys will react?"

"They've proven themselves to be accepting so I don't see why this would be any dif—" I break off what I'm saying at the sound of footsteps tromping down the stairs. With a pointed look, Bella turns her head and smiles in their direction. "Hey, sweeties. Come sit." She pats the space on the other side of her.

"Hey, Mama," Seth says as he climbs on the couch. "What you want?"

"We was playing wif our race track," Jake adds just to let us know we've interrupted them.

"Oh, well excuse us for wanting to talk with our boys," I say sarcastically, reaching over to muss their hair.

"Stop it, Daddy," Seth says shaking my hand from his head while Jake just giggles and rolls his eyes.

"We wouldn't have called you from your toys unless it was important. The least you could do is pretend to act like you care." I poke Seth in the ribs and chuckle as he squeals.

"Okay, boys," Bella interrupts pushing my hands away. "We need to have a serious talk."

"Talk then," Seth says, holding his hands up and looking at us impatiently.

Jake, the more sensitive kid, scoots closer and raises up on his knees to cup Bella's face. "What's the matter, Mama? Are we in trouble?"

I reach over and lift him up, bringing him to my lap. "No, dude, you're not in trouble … unless you did something wrong, we don't know about?" I ask with a raised brow.

He starts shaking his head rapidly. "No, we been good boys."

"Okay, then, no you're not in trouble, but, we wanted to talk about that secret we want to you guys to spill," I explain.

Jake studies me carefully, but Seth doesn't miss a beat. "You mean the baby? We can tell now?"

Jake's brows rise and he snaps his head to Bella, or more specifically, her belly. "I still don't see no baby," he declares with a shrug.

Bella giggles and stretches back, pulling up her shirt to expose her small tummy. "It's still small, but it's starting to grow now." Her hand makes and arc as she rubs it over her bump.

Very timidly, Jake reaches over and touches her stomach. "That's the baby?" he asks.

I reach over and move his hand across the rounded section. "You feel that curve? It's starting to grow."

When I let go, he pulls his hand back and shrugs. "Cool."

"Now back to the part about telling the secret," Bella starts. "Grandma and Grampa will be here tomorrow and everyone's getting together at Carlisle and Esme's on Thursday for Thanksgiving. We thought that'd be the perfect time for you guys to let everybody know," Bella explains carefully, doing her best to make sure the boys understand.

"What Tankgiving?" Jake asks, eyes wide.

I chuckle and think that neither one of them are old enough to comprehend the whole to-do or the story yet, so I decide to give them the simple explanation. "It's the day when families get together, eat turkey and tell their family how thankful they are to be together."

Seth holds his hands in the air and innocently asks, "What tankful mean?"

I look to Bella with my brows raised and wait patiently for her to answer. With an eye roll, she finally comes up with something they can understand. "It means happy, how happy we are that they're our family."

Looking pleased with herself, she gives me a smug grin. "Now that's all settled, can we talk about how you're going to tell everyone?"

Seth crawls into Bella's lap and with the four of us very close, we begin to make our plans.

"So what you gonna say, Daddy?" Seth asks.

"What do you mean, dude?"

He sighs like I'm and idiot. "You know. Like when you asked Mama. We waited and when you said the right thing, then we started talking. Member?"

"Ohhh, right," I say, nodding along. "Okay, how about this. Before we eat, everyone will take turns saying what they're thankful for. After my turn, I'll announce that you two have something to add and then you tell them you're thankful for your new baby brother or sister?" I look at them both carefully to make sure understand what I'm saying. Of course, I'll remind them on the way over on Thursday, but for now, this talk is a good start.

Seth props his chin on his fingers as if he's thinking very carefully, but Jake seems okay with the plan. With a big exaggerated nod, he says, "We can do that. Can't we Seth?"

Seth thinks another few seconds before giving a decisive nod. "Yeah, we sure can."

"Okay, but there's one more thing we need to add," Bella says, nervous excitement brewing in her eyes.

"What's that?" Seth asks.

* * *

 **So the next chapter was finished just yesterday so it'll definitely be on time next week. As it stands now, it looks like 2 more then an epi. FF finally fixed their fail, so replies will be coming :)**

 **Are you reading the Age entries? All have been posted now. Link is on my profile.**

 **See you next week :)**


	44. Incident Ahead

**As always, Fran is my fixer, but all mistakes are mine. Lissa, Michele and Vampiregirl93 read for me.**

* * *

 **Day 185**

 **EPOV**

 _Day 100 (Thanksgiving)_

Carlisle greets us with a beaming smile. "Edward, Bella, so glad you could make it," he says, stepping back and holding the door open wide. "Esme's in the kitchen, Edward." He gives me a pointed look.

I reach out and do the man shake then lean down and kiss Bella on the cheek. "I think I'll go see if she needs any help."

Bella smirks. "You do that; I'll take the boys to the basement and let them play."

After handing my coat off to Carlisle, I make my way to their expansive kitchen. I find her standing at the bar muttering to herself so I make my way to her side. "Anything I can do to help?"

She jumps and clutches her chest. "Oh, Edward, I didn't hear you come in."

"Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. So where do you want me to start?" I ask the very flustered woman. I don't think I've ever seen her so out of sorts.

"You've done so much already, I don't want you to spend all day in the kitchen," she says.

"Pfft, I made a few desserts is all. I know there will be more people this year than you've had before. I don't want you so stressed by the time we eat that you can't stomach looking at the food." I roll up my sleeves. "Now, where are we in the prep?"

She takes a shaky breath and releases it. "Thank you, Edward. I don't know if dinner would be on time without your offer."

"No problem, this is what I do." With a gentle smile her way, I listen attentively as she points out what has already been done and what's left.

.

.

Several hours later, dishes are coming together and the turkey is almost ready to come out of the oven. "Thank you so much, Edward. I don't know that I could've gotten this all done by myself. Why don't you go find Carlisle and have him fix you a drink? I'm perfectly fine in here now."

"Are you sure?" I ask even though there's not much left to do.

She reaches up and gives me a motherly hug. "Very sure, now scoot."

I chuckle and slowly make my way from the room only to pass Bella and Renee at the door. "Hey, baby. We were just coming to relieve you. Jay and his family just arrived. Thought you might like to hang with the men for a bit."

"Sounds good." I wave my thumb over my shoulder. "Everything's under control in there, but I'm sure she could use the company."

"Everyone else is in the basement," Renee says, giving me a kiss on the cheek. "Charlie's been waiting for you."

My brows rise. Not that Charlie and I don't get along or anything, but rarely is he ever _waiting_ for me.

Bella giggles and pushes my arm. "Just go before your brother has a fit."

I lean down and give her cute self a kiss, and as I lift my head, our eyes connect with secret excitement. "Sure thing. See you at the dinner table." With a wink, I'm headed for the stairs.

Before I can even make my full descent, Jay is already standing at the bottom step. "What's up, man? I was beginning to wonder if I'd see you at all today." He slaps me on the back as he does that side arm hug men do.

"Don't be a smartass. It was asking a lot of Esme to feed us all and she was swamped," I tell him seriously. "But she's got it under control now. So, tell me, did you get a closing date?"

Vic slides in beside Jay right at that moment. I reach over and give her a kiss on the cheek. "Hey, Vic, where's the little angel?"

"She's napping upstairs. I promise you can get your hands on her as soon as she wakes."

"It's a date," I say giving her a smile. Leah loves her Uncle Edward. "So, I was just asking Jay for an update on the house." Her expression falls just a tad. "What is it?" I ask.

"We don't close until the twentieth of December," she replies and I can see where that might be a problem.

"That close to Christmas?" I ask. Bella and I were very specific about that aspect. We made our offer on the condition that we close with enough time to be settled in by Christmas. It's scheduled for the twelfth.

"Yeah, we pushed for a sooner date, but that was the earliest we could get. I guess we'll spend our last Christmas in Chicago and move in the following week," she says sadly.

Jay reaches over and pulls her a little closer. "It's okay, baby. I know it isn't what we prefer, but we'll be here permanently soon enough."

"I hate to hear that. We were looking forward to having all of you here this year. Seth hasn't missed a Christmas with you guys ever," I respond, but then it hits me. "Wait a minute. Why don't you just go home and pack up so when you come back on the twentieth and get the keys, your stuff will be on its way?"

"We considered that," Jay starts, "but realistically, there's no way we can have the house ready by Christmas. It'll still be a jumbled mess."

"Yeah, it would, _but_ that won't matter if you're at our house," I say and I'm starting to get excited by the idea. "You can go home, pack up and when you come for the closing, just stay with us until the day after Christmas. Then we can start getting your house situated."

Vic looks contemplative while my brother just stands there smirking at me. "What?" I ask.

He shakes his head and chuckles. "It's a lot to take in an entire family of five for Christmas and here you are suggesting it without even talking to Bella first." He reaches over, grabs my shoulder and looks to me seriously. "Big mistake, bro."

I shrug his hand off and chuckle. "I don't know about you, but I think I can safely speak for Bella in this instance."

Vic reaches out and lays her hand on my forearm. "Thank you, Edward, we love the offer, but I'm with Jay on this one. Talk to Bella and then we'll decide. Okay?"

I roll my eyes at the pair of them. "Whatever, but I will say I told you so."

Jay slaps me on the back and we start to move farther into the room. "I expect no less."

"Edward," Charlie calls, motioning me over. "I've been wondering when you'd make an appearance."

Still not sure what to make of Charlie's sudden exuberance, I make my way over to where he and Carlisle are standing. Holding out my hand, I shake with them both and take the beer Charlie is offering.

"Esme doing better now?" Carlisle asks brows raised in question.

I chuckle. "Yeah, it's all under control. We should be eating pretty soon."

"I don't think I've seen her in such a state before," Carlisle says. "She prides herself on her party skills, but I think this was just a bit much for her to handle alone even though she won't admit it."

"Her secret is safe with me. I was just the sous chef; she had it under control … mostly." I smirk.

Carlisle throws his head back and laughs loud. "Works for me. Maybe I should go see if the women would like a glass of wine, after all their hard work."

Just as I'm about to try and come up with an excuse to keep him here, seeing as offering Bella wine right now and her refusing might be suspicious, Charlie speaks up, "You go do that, Carlisle. I was hoping to talk with Edward for a minute anyway."

Too curious as to what Charlie wants to talk about, I just nod and send Carlisle on his way. Surely Bella can come up with something.

"So, what's up?" I ask, giving Charlie my full attention.

He throws his beer back and guzzles it down before crushing the can. "I want to talk about the case."

"Shouldn't Bella be here for that?" I question, giving him a curious look.

He heaves a big sigh. "Well, to be perfectly honest, it's not Bella's reaction I'm concerned with. She's content with just knowing the truth and is glad the culprit will be punished. You, on the other hand, probably want more punishment than what will realistically be given."

"What exactly does that mean? I know you're not telling me she's getting off with a slap on the wrist!" I spit. "If not for Ja—" Loud voices coming from the boys, who are in the corner playing video games, make me snap my head in their direction.

"Hey, what's going on over there?" I call across the room.

There are a few more mutterings between them before Jake comes running over. "Jared's bein' mean to me again, Daddy."

I give a smirking Charlie a look and grab Jake's hand to lead him back where the other three are sitting. "What's the problem over here?"

Seth crosses his arms and huffs. "Jared don't wanna play wif my brother."

I look to Jared sternly. "Is this true, Jared?"

He just shrugs and focuses back on his game.

I tense my jaw and wonder what has gotten into these boys. But in reality, I know. Seth and Jared have been close their whole lives and now that Jake has come along, Jared feels like he's losing out. I'm not quite sure how to handle it without making it worse.

"Jared, why don't you go see how much longer until dinner," I suggest. "Your mom is upstairs in the kitchen." He huffs and tosses the controller down before stomping across the room, stopping to give Jake a mean look on the way by.

"All right, you two play a game while he's gone, but when he gets back, I want Seth and Jared to play a few games." I kneel down in front of Jake and grab his hands. "I want you to know, dude, this isn't about you. Jared just misses Seth and we need to figure out a way to keep him from feeling left out."

"If he wasn't mean to my brother, I would wanna play wif him more," Seth pipes up.

"I know, buddy, but he's acting mean because he feels like Jake took his place," I try to explain, looking between them to see if they understand.

"How he take his place?" Seth asks with a shrug. "They both got places."

And it's at that moment, I know, he doesn't understand. Where's someone who has a better grip on this shit than me? I look around and see that Charlie is the only other adult down here and he's sipping on another beer, still smirking, just watching me flail.

Finally, I sigh. "Look, dudes. Just let Jared have a few extra turns with Seth, okay? Maybe then he'll chill with the way he's been acting towards Jake."

Jake gives me a nod, but Seth huffs and just pouts. "I don't wanna play wif him!"

I give Jake a grateful pat on the shoulder and turn, moving closer to Seth. "Buddy, how about this. You promise to spend some time with Jared, and I promise that Uncle Jay and I will have a talk with him before they head back to Chicago." I give him a pleading look, hoping he'll back down.

He purses his lips for a second, studying me. Then, finally, he deflates. "Okay, Daddy. I play wif him, but he better not be mean to Jake again."

Feeling satisfied with this temporary solution, I stand and tousle Seth's hair. "Thanks, buddy. I think he just needs to see you still love him, too."

"I do love him," he replies easily and I sag in relief. "But not as much as Jake."

I drop my chin to my chest but really can't fault the kid's logic. I love it even, but they're going to have to find some balance. This constant bickering has to stop, especially with Jay's family moving to Seattle.

"We'll talk to him. Promise. Now you two hurry up and play before he gets back down here," I tell them and make my way back to Charlie.

He's already chuckling as I approach. "How did that work out for you?"

I scrub my hand through my hair and shake my head. "It's a work in progress."

He slaps his meaty hand on my shoulder. "It'll work out. They're kids. They need to adjust to the new situation."

I bob my head up and down. "I know. I just wish it would happen when someone better equipped to handle it was around … like their moms."

"Where's the fun in that?" He throws his head back and laughs.

"Yeah, yeah, laugh it up." I chuckle along with him. "Okay, back to the case. You were saying?" I motion for him to finish our earlier conversation.

He takes a deep breath and gets to it. "As you know, Jessica was arrested and is out on bond along with her nursing license temporarily suspended, pending the outcome of the case." My jaw clenches a little with that thought, but I know it's the process. "Now, what I'd like to discuss is the deal the prosecution has offered her."

I pick up my lukewarm beer from the side table and kill it off, preparing myself to hear this bullshit punishment. "Go ahead, Charlie," I scoff. "I mean how bad can it be, right?"

He rolls his eyes. "I actually think it's a fitting punishment, but somehow I doubt you'll see anything less than tar and feathering as fitting."

"Look what she did!" I exclaim, getting riled up. "If Jake hadn't gotten sick, we may have never known!"

Charlie holds his hands up in a placating manner. "I know, Edward, I know. What you need to focus on is the fact that he did get sick and you did find out. Now, are you ready to hear me out or should I just forget it?"

I grab another beer from the cooler and after taking a swallow, I wave him on.

"They proposed that her license will be permanently revoked and that she gets ten years with two to serve, most likely in a minimum security prison." I start to open my mouth, but he shakes his head and gives me a stern look. "And she will pay restitution of fifty thousand dollars, but I don't know if you'll ever see much of that."

"I don't want her fucking money, Charlie," I grit, cutting him off quickly. "I just want to see her suffer for her callous actions. Just because the outcome was better than not, doesn't mean she shouldn't be punished."

He nods. "Exactly, I don't know about you, but I think taking away her livelihood is a pretty big punishment, and then, she also has to serve time. It may not be as long as you'd like, but for someone who has never been in any other trouble at all, it's a win in my opinion." He reaches over and grasps my shoulder firmly, looking at me seriously. "Don't let this get to you, Edward. You have the fairytale. Live it up to the fullest and let all the anger fall by the wayside. Trust me; you'll be better for it."

I take a deep breath and let it go. I let it all go. In my mind, I conjure Bella's voice as she reminds me that the outcome is my life. The life that I love so much.

Finally, I give Charlie a nod. "You're right. I won't give that woman the satisfaction of one more thought."

He releases my shoulder with a hard smack. "See, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

I throw back my beer, taking a large gulp before answering, "If you say so. Any decision on Mike?"

"What? You mean charging him?" he asks and at my nod continues, "Son, he may be an idiot, but unfortunately, that's not a crime."

I look over and notice that Seth and Jared are playing together, with Jake and Joseph looking on, and give myself a little fist pump. Then I look back to Charlie and sigh. "That's for the best anyway. I think Bella almost blames herself and their break-up for the way he acted during that time."

"That may be, but if I know my girl, she'll put it all behind her and move on. She doesn't dwell on the bad, especially with so much good to look forward to," he replies.

Just as I'm about to respond, Mom and Dad call from the bottom of the stairs. "Edward," Mom says, rushing forth to wrap me in her arms. "All these changes going on in our family. I can barely keep up. You all decided to move to Seattle and leave us behind in Chicago."

"You can always move too," I offer, silently hoping they won't. I love Mom and Dad, but the latter can be an asshole at times. Seeing them every other month or so seems to be the way to go.

Dad moves in as soon as Mom has vacated and gives my hand a firm shake. "Now, son, you know I'd never leave Chicago permanently, but with all the family here, we are considering buying a place for when we visit."

"Oh, yeah, that'd be a great investment, too," I reply, silently celebrating his confirmation.

"What about Bella's place? You planning to put it on the market?" he asks.

Surprised at his inquiry, I fumble for a reply, but that's not a problem because Jay enters the conversation at that moment. "Oh, yeah, Dad. They're planning on selling." He gives me a smirk. "That'd be great for you to have a house just a couple miles away when you visit."

I shake my head at his stupid ass but agree anyway. "We are planning to put it on the market in January."

"Sounds like a good prospect then. Before we head back home this trip, we'll come by and take a better look. Maybe you won't have to worry about the market," he says.

"Sounds good, Dad."

I reach over, remove a smiling Leah from my brother's arms and move away from the group. "Hey there, sweet girl. You miss your Uncle Edward?" I ask the little angel in from of me.

"She just saw you yesterday," Jay says over my shoulder.

"So, Leah loves her Uncle Edward, don't you, baby?" I tickle her belly, hoping for a smile.

She doesn't disappoint. Her face lights up and she coos at my attention. I'm so lost in my own world with Leah that I almost miss the call for dinner.

"Come on, bro. let's eat," Jay says, directing Leah and me toward the stairs.

.

.

Alice and Renee take the kids to wash up while I make my way to the kitchen to offer my assistance in bringing out the food. Between Esme, Bella, Carlisle and me, we're almost able to get everything in one trip. The only thing left to go back and grab is the gravy, so I motion for the women to have a seat and return to the kitchen.

Only this time, when I enter the dining room, I can already hear the loud voices emanating from the kids table. Hurrying to set the gravy down, I do my best to make my way over there to settle whatever has gotten into them this time. But before I can reach them, Seth and Jared have both stood and are standing toe to toe.

"Jake's not your real brother," Jared yells.

"Yes, he is," Seth hollers back.

"No, he's not!" Jared replies, giving Seth's shoulder a little shove. "You don't have any real brothers!"

Just as I get close enough to grab Seth, he lunges, tackling Jared to the ground, yelling, "Jake is so my brother! And we gonna have more brothers! Two of 'em and they growin' in Mama's belly now!"

You know that moment when everything comes to a screeching halt? Well, this is it. Seth seems to realize what he's said and is looking around frantically at everyone else with that 'oops' expression. And everyone else? They're all staring at Seth, Bella or me, waiting for confirmation, or denial.

As I scan their faces, most of the women are looking expectant, almost giddy, while the men are a mix of emotions. Expectedly, Jay has a smirk, Charlie's mustache is twitching, Carlisle has a twinkle in his eye, Jasper is just studying us carefully and Dad seems genuinely shocked.

Finally, I snap to my senses and grab Seth from the floor, making sure to help Jared up next. "You boys, go to the living room. Jay and I will be in there shortly," I command sternly, then turn back to the adults seated at the table. "Well that was unexpected," I say, rubbing the back of my neck.

Bella smiles and stands to join me. Taking my hand, she turns to everyone and clears her throat. "Obviously, Edward and I have an announcement to make."

Before she can even say the words, women are surrounding us. There are tears of joy and hugs of congratulations. The room is vibrating in excitement because of the two new lives we've created.

"I was waiting for this, but twins?" Renee asks in awe, already rubbing Bella's stomach.

"How far along?" Alice pipes up.

"And they're boys?" Vic asks.

"No, we don't know that," I break into their little celebration. "Apparently the boys hope they are, though." I chuckle.

Jay comes to give me a huge brotherly hug. "Congrats, man."

I hug him back extra hard and when he pulls away, I lean over to Bella. "Baby, Jay and I are going to talk to the boys. Be right back."

"Don't be too hard on them," she calls.

"I would never," I respond, acting affronted. She gives me a stern look and I wink. "Come on, bro. Let's see if we can put an end to this fighting." I link my arm around his neck and start leading him to where the boys await.

He chuckles. "I don't know, man." He motions behind us with his thumb. "If it's going to provide me with this kind of entertainment, I might not mind so much."

I pull his head down and give him a nuggie. "Maybe next time it'll be at your expense."

He pulls his head up, straightening his hair, and bumps his shoulder into mine. "Not on your life, man."

Before we make it to the living room, we school our expressions. This is a serious matter and it ends now. We enter the room ready to lay down the law, but instead, find two sheepish-looking boys.

Maybe this is just what we needed to put an end to all their bickering.

* * *

 **One more and an epi *cries***

 **Be sure to read, review and vote for Age of Edward. You have until the 23** **rd** **.**

 **See you next week :)**


	45. STOP

**As always Fran fixes, but I tweak. Michele, Vampiregirl93 and Lissa read.**

* * *

 **BPOV**

 _ **We're switching to weeks pregnant now.**_

 _ **Roughly 17 weeks (Christmas)**_

"All right, you two, _quiet,_ " I shush Edward and Jay. They're acting like a bunch of kids, playing with the toys instead of putting them under the tree.

"Come on, Bella," Jay whines. "Don't be a spoiled sport. This shit is fun to play with."

I put my hand on my hip and give a stern look. "And you can play all you want, _with_ the boys, but if you don't get them set out soon they're going to catch you playing Santa."

Vic snorts and lifts a brow. "Remember last year, honey?"

Jay's face pales a little and he drops the toys. "Come on, Edward; let's set up this stuff."

Edward chuckles. "What happened last year, Vic?"

"Aw, man, come on. No need to relive that shit. Let's just say that you don't want to have to try and explain why you're putting the bike together in a Santa suit to a three-year-old," Jay tells us contritely.

I roll my eyes and giggle. "Sounds fun." Then I turn to Vic. "How about we go make pancakes and cocoa while they finish. One of those boys is bound to wake soon."

When breakfast is made and warming in the oven, Vic and I return to the living room with cups of cocoa for the men. We sit and chat for about ten minutes before a door shutting upstairs makes us perk up with excitement.

After the debacle at Thanksgiving, things have settled down between the boys. As a matter of fact, Jared has realized that Jake is as worthy of a play buddy as Seth. Now we just have to make sure the three of them still include Joseph, although he seems happy to just hang around with the bigger boys. I'm sure that won't last forever, but for now, it works.

A thunder of footsteps sound on the stairs moments later, and we all watch anxiously as the four boys rumble into the room. They stop and stare simultaneously. The toys from Santa have been divided into four sections, and then there are the wrapped presents under the tree.

Edward stands and goes over to the tree. "Jared, this is you." He points out his section of toys and continues to do so for the remaining three boys.

Each one approaches their stack in awe. This is really the first time Jake seemed to understand the concept of Santa and I imagine it's the same for Seth. As they grow, we can expect so many good years to come.

A cry from the monitor has Vic out of her seat and headed to get Leah. Even though she could care less, her pile is waiting for her to explore.

After presents are exchanged and wrapping paper is strewn everywhere, we gather around to eat pancakes and drink cocoa in our pajamas.

This is the best Christmas I can remember having … ever.

 _ **(Roughly 19 weeks)**_

"Bella Masen," the nurse calls.

I take a deep breath and look to my husband. His excitement is burning in his eyes. Hopefully, if they cooperate, we'll find out the sex of our children today.

He stands and holds out his hand. "Let's do this." His boyish grin and shaking hand fill my heart to the brim.

We're led back to the sonogram room and I'm asked to lie back and pull my shirt up to my bra. The technician places a paper bib in my lowered waistline. I brace myself for a chill, but am pleasantly surprised when it's nothing but warmth.

"Wow, that's definitely changed since I was in here last," I inform her.

She smiles pleasantly. "Oh, yes. We now have warmers for the conducting liquid. Nice, isn't it?"

"Wonderful," I reply, sighing.

Edward takes my hand in a grip so tight I'm sure my fingers might go numb. "A little excited, baby?"

"Like you wouldn't fucking"—he stops and covers his mouth, looking sheepish—"sorry."

The tech laughs. "No worries, we get all types in here."

He clears his throat and tries again. "I'm very excited." His smile is blinding and the stunned technician just stares at him for a few seconds before remembering what we're here for.

Poor girl.

When she snaps from her daze, she enters information into the computer and comes at me with the wand. It takes an exceptionally long time for her to do all the standard assessments. There are bones to be measured and organs to be checked.

Finally, she looks to us with a twinkle in her eye. "Are we ready to see if they're going to cooperate?"

Edward's head moves up and down like a bobble-head and I just smile. "Yes, please."

She gets to work, moving that wand over my stomach. Her face wrinkles in concentration as she watches the screen for whatever she's trying to find. "Okay," she says, pointing to the monitor. "Here's baby A. I'm going to try and maneuver around and see if we can see between those legs." She moves the wand more but in the same general area. When she spots what she's looking for, she taps a few keys on the computer and the screen switches to 3D.

I turn to watch Edward's face as recognition takes hold. "Is that?"

The tech starts nodding. "Yep, sure is. And now, let's see if baby B will cooperate."

After another few minutes, she taps the keys again and the screen switches.

My eyes widen and look to Edward once more.

His jaw is hanging open and his brows are so high they appear to be part of his hair.

"Two of them?" he asks in awe, wetness already glistening in his eyes.

 _ **(Roughly 21 weeks)**_

"Tanya, could you come in here," I request into the intercom.

I'm still working part time, but some things have to change. Jasper and I have discussed it and come up with a plan. With twins on the horizon, I can't see myself dedicating my all to my position for the next while.

Tanya appears at the door, all smiles. "Can I get you something?"

I shake my head at her ridiculousness and point to the chair across from me. She's been a little over eager to feed me since my return to work after finding out about the twins. "No, have a seat." She looks at me curiously but easily complies.

"Is something the matter?" she asks.

I prop my hands on my desk and link my fingers. "Nothing at all. Actually, I think things are great, even perfect. But, I have a proposition for you and it's one I'm hoping you'll seriously consider."

Her brows rise and she nods once. "Go ahead, I'm listening."

I clear my throat. "As you know, I'm having twins and only working part time. When they're born, I'm not sure when I'll want or be able to return. And since this is my business, I can decide that when the time comes, but my responsibilities need to be fulfilled. I was hoping you'd like to assume my position."

Her jaw opens, but words don't come out, so I continue, "As it is now, you're already doing my job to an extent, and if we spend the next couple months training, I have no doubts that you're completely capable of handling almost everything I do here. Of course, there will be some decisions you will need final approval on, but that is what Jasper and I are for." I lean forward, making sure she can see my sincerity. "I can't imagine anyone else taking the position."

"Bella, to say that I'm shocked is an understatement. You know I've never gone to school for this right?" she jokes, trying to take the seriousness from the moment.

"I know this, but I also know that you've handled my area of the office more than me in the past seven months and with my training?" I shake my head. "The sky's the limit."

Wetness gathers in her eyes. "This means I won't see you much, huh?"

I tilt my head. "Oh, Tanya, of course. You and Garrett can come to dinner anytime you'd like," I assure her.

She wipes a stray tear and laughs. "Well then, I'd say you got yourself a deal."

I stand and reach across the desk, holding out my hand. "Then we start your training on Monday."

She jumps up, ignoring my outstretched hand and moves around my desk. With a tight hug, she says, "Thank you, Bella."

I laugh lightly and pull back to look at her. "You may not be thanking me next week."

"Bring it," she says smirking and turns to sashay out my door.

I shake my head and hit the intercom. "Oh, and, Tanya, you need to start looking for your replacement."

I hear a loud girly squee outside my door.

 _ **(Roughly 26 weeks)**_

"Mama, your belly finally gettin' big," Jake notes one day out of the blue. I was sitting on the back porch, watching him and Seth play when he decided he was thirsty.

I laugh lightly at his blunt admission and tousle his hair. "I told you it would. Extra big now that there are two growing instead of one."

"How much longer 'til the babies come?" he asks after gulping down a large swallow of Kool-Aid.

I rub my hand over my very rounded stomach and notice he watches closely. "Supposed to be a little less than four months, but it may be sooner."

Seth runs up the steps to join us. "How long is four months, though?" He holds up his hands in question.

I sigh. "Hmm, you know how your birthday is next month?" I ask them.

At their vigorous nods, I continue, "Well, it'll be two months after that."

Seth crosses his arms while Jake is still watching my hand make its circuit over my stomach. "I don't know what a month is," Seth stresses.

I chuckle. "I know, baby, and I'm sorry. I don't know how to explain it any better." I look to Jake. "Do you want to feel them?"

He hesitates only a second before slowly reaching his hand out and placing it on the protrusion. Very carefully, he runs it over my stomach in small circles. All of a sudden, one of the babes delivers a huge kick, and Jake jerks his hand back so swiftly I'm unable to stop him.

His brows are high and his facial expression is almost terrified. "What was that?" he asks.

I smile and reach over, grabbing his hand and pulling him back close. "One of the babies kicked."

"It kicked me?" he asks. "I don't wanna be kicked."

Seth moves in and easily puts his hand on my stomach, hoping for a kick. "It okay, Jake. Leah kicked me a bunch when she was still in Aunt Vic's belly. It don't hurt."

Tentatively, Jake stretches his hand out and finally lays it back on my stomach. Only this time when the babies decide to make their presence known, he giggles at the movement.

I smile and relax back in my seat while the boys have a ball with my stomach at the babies' expense. They giggle and rub for the next twenty minutes.

And when they've returned to play, I can't help but close my eyes and allow the last eight months to play behind my lids like a movie.

The pain and desperation.

The shock.

The hope.

The love.

I sigh.

My life is more than I ever dreamed, and it only gets better every day.

 **EPOV**

 _ **(Roughly 29 weeks)**_

I stand against the bar, my fists tightening around the granite, holding me in place. Bella stands before me, the shower steam surrounds her luscious, pale frame as she slowly and oh so torturously, removes each item of her clothes. One by one, they slip to the floor until she's a naked goddess before me.

With a wink, she disappears behind the frosted glass and even then, she's a sight to behold. The outline of her curves call to me as the water droplets roll over her skin and drip from her peaks, rolling down the swell of her stomach. With a barely restrained groan, I start to disrobe.

Clothes fall into a heap at my feet.

Holding myself in check, I stalk toward the treasure of steam that contains my prize and slip in behind the naked, wet body inside. My palms run over her slick frame first finding purchase on my future, then trailing over to her hips, shoulders, arms, everywhere they can touch. No one place can hold their attention for very long.

Her sighs and moans spur them to tweak and pluck and then slide downward, pulling her back flush against my front, my ache trapped between us. Her ass wiggles and a growl escapes, pushing through my lips.

I lean close and run my tongue along the wet skin starting at her shoulder, up her neck and ending at her ear, tasting water, salt and just Bella

"Can I have you, baby? Will you bend over and let me have you just like this?" I whisper in her ear and watch chills erupt even with the heat of the water cascading over us.

Her answer is a low moan and another ass wiggle.

I push her forward and guide her hands to brace against the shower wall. Planting one hand on her hip, I fist my cock in the other, holding back the groan that wants to pass my lips. Seeing her in this position causes me to twitch and swell in my hand. Getting impatient, she pushes back, encouraging me to slip inside.

The water trickles between us, but that's nothing compared to slick wetness glimmering from her folds. I push the head of my cock through her slit, stopping to run over her clit, back and forth, back and forth.

Her body seeks the friction, matching my tune. With one more pass, I slide down and push in, her soft heat surrounding me as she arches back to pull me deeper.

Bodies flush, my palms slide up her back to anchor on her shoulders and I start a rhythm. A fast pace that builds quickly, her moans telling me exactly which stroke to repeat.

"Goddamn, baby. You're so beautiful like this," I growl into the confined space.

"Oh god," she moans, louder than before.

"You like that? You like me to tell you what you do to me, baby?" I push forward to cover her back. "You make me so hard, baby. So fucking hard."

Her nails dig in, looking for purchase against the tile.

"I'm close, Bella. Are you there, baby?" I grunt.

"Yes, Edward, yes … please."

I speed up, my motions becoming more focused on her pleasure. Her walls start to flutter and her breath comes is gasps.

"Oh, that's it, Edward, right there," she pants.

The clenching starts and my balls tighten. The burn starts in my stomach and races downward. I keep my pace as she rides the waves that consume her, and when she's almost ready to collapse, I cradle her close and push in with one final, hard thrust.

My body sags against her back while my hands can do nothing but roam over the lives we created. Soothingly, I bring her back to the moment as her breaths return to normal.

Kissing the side of her neck, I murmur, "I love you."

She turns in my arms and cuddles as close our babies allow. With slow movements, I reach for the shampoo. I cherish my wife as I wash every spectacular inch of her.

 _ **(Roughly 31 weeks)**_

I stand and look out into our new expansive back yard as kids run rampant. Today is the boys' fourth birthday and Bella wanted them to have nothing but the best. There's a bouncy house on one side and a rock-climbing wall on the other, aside from the swing/playhouse that was already a permanent structure here when we moved in.

My smile is wide and I can't even begin to comprehend the joy that now is my life. Every single aspect is … well, it's fucking perfect.

I'm almost afraid to voice it aloud.

I'm so lost in my head that I don't see Esme approach. "Edward," she says, snapping me from my daze.

I shake my head to clear it and reach over to give her a kiss on the cheek. "Hi, Esme. Sorry, I was lost in the moment," I say sheepishly.

"Pfft, no worries." She swats my arm. "You have so many moments worth getting lost in."

I scan the crowd one more time and take note of every member of my family. I can't help but beam at the smiles they each have. Then I focus my attention back to Esme. "I do, don't I?"

She smiles serenely and nods. "I hear the restaurant is coming along nicely."

I nod. "It is and Jake's been cleared to come back to day care." I lift a questioning brow.

She almost dances in her spot. "I know I'm so excited to have them both at the same time." But then her smile falters. "It'll only be for a few months, though, since they'll be going to Pre-K when school starts in the fall."

A nervous excitement runs through me. On the one hand, this is our dream. The one where Jake gets to go back to Esme's and he's healthy enough to start school, but on the other, I'm going to miss the hell out of my boys.

I reach over, pull Esme under my wing and sigh. "We're pathetic, aren't we?"

She sighs. "I wouldn't say pathetic, just stingy, but we have to share them. You and Bella have given them wings, now it's time for them to fly."

I give her the side-eye. "When you put it that way, it sounds like we've done something special."

She huff and moves away to look at me incredulously. "Are you suggesting you haven't? I'll have you know that you and Bella took a worst-case-scenario and turned it into a fairy tale for those two." She tilts her head to the boys who are running wide open in our direction. "Don't ever think their ability to adapt isn't a direct reflection on the way the both of you have raised them."

I hold my hands up, conceding. "Okay, okay. I just think luck is a huge part of it. If Bella hadn't been the person who was raising my son"—I stop, almost getting choked up considering the alternative—"I … I just don't know how it would've turned out."

With an eye roll, she responds, "You would've been just fine, Edward. You would've handled it as graciously as you handled it with Bella."

"Daddy," the boys call as they get closer, interrupting further conversation.

"We ready for cake!" Jakes yells.

"Yeah." Seth fist pumps. "We gots a Lego cake!"

I chuckle at their exuberance. "Go get your mama and we'll get it." They immediately halt and scan the yard, taking off in Bella's direction as soon as they spot her.

Esme smirks. "See. Perfect."

 _ **(Roughly 35 weeks)**_

I look to the four chefs lined before me. "Here's my dish. I want you to taste it and recreate it. I want an exact replica in taste and presentation. The chef who can do this is the one I'm looking for to fill my head chef position."

"Yes, chef," they respond in unison.

At least, they're off to a good start.

"Good," I bark. "You have forty-five minutes."

I start the timer and retire to my office. My restaurant is coming along nicely and even though it'll be a few more months before we open, I need to lock in my head chef position. I've been working on the menu for some time now and need someone who can execute my dishes the way I want, but can also adapt when I decide to switch it up.

Whomever I choose now will also have a say in the rest of the kitchen line. After all, they'll be working with those chefs on a daily basis. And while I will hold the title, Executive Chef, aside from creating the dishes and helping in a pinch, I won't be the one who runs the kitchen on a day-to-day basis. That responsibility goes to the head chef and I won't take less than perfection from whoever I hire.

When the buzzer goes off, I return to the kitchen to find one chef still attempting to plate their dish. "Did you not hear the timer," I snap.

"I did, chef, but I only need another minute," he explains.

I cross my arms over my chest. "I already gave you ten minutes more than the dish calls for. Pack your knives and get the fuck out of my kitchen."

"B-but—"

"There are no fucking buts. You're not the chef for this position." I point to the door. "Out!"

He's so terrified that he grabs his knives and hastily exits my sight. Good. I look to everyone else while appraising the dishes before them.

I lift the corner of a plate situated in front of a woman. "Does this look like my dish?"

She swallows and nervously answers. "N-no, chef, sir."

"Then why the fuck did you present it to me?" I bark.

She opens her mouth to respond, but I could give a fuck less. "Doesn't matter. Get out!"

I appraise the final two dishes and they pass visual inspection so I take a fork and taste the first. "Did you taste this?" I ask the male chef before me.

"I did, chef," he answers hastily.

I sling the fork down on the bar top and level him with a glare. "And you still set it out before me?"

"Sorry, chef."

"Do I even need to say it?" I stare menacingly.

He shakes his head and starts packing his knives.

I stop before the final dish. Picking up the fork, I slide it into my mouth with trepidation. I fucking wince and sling the utensil to the floor. "Does this have nutmeg in it?" I grit.

He doesn't even speak; he just starts packing his knives. I watch him retreat from the room with shoulders sagged.

This might be fucking harder than I thought.

 _ **(The day after delivery)**_

I stare at the gorgeous woman before me. She has one baby attached to her breast while I burp the other. The sight fills me so full that tears gather in my eyes. Our family has gained two new members and my heart has doubled in size.

Seth and Jake were here last night and to say they're over the moon might be an understatement. Those boys are so in love with their new siblings. Fist pumps were shared and the questions of "when can they play" has already passed their lips.

I take a seat on the edge of the bed beside my gorgeous wife and reach for her hand. So overfilled with emotions that I can't even speak.

She feels it and catches my eye. With a gentle squeeze of my hand, her love flows into me. "They're perfect aren't they?" she asks.

I close my eyes and shake my head before I gather myself enough to look at her again. "Baby, perfect isn't enough to describe them. There hasn't been a word invented yet to explain how I feel in this minute."

Bella pulls Trystan James from her breast and we do an exchange. I take him for a burp and she takes Trynt Alexander and cuddles him close to her side. When Trystan has burped, I pass him back to my wife and she settles him on her other side.

And I just fucking stare.

Four boys and I have no complaints.

What started with a mysterious phone call turned into the most epic event of my life. And I wouldn't change a single fucking thing because it brought me right here, to this moment.

Who knew, a sharp left turn could be so right.

* * *

" **Wait!" Holds hands up in a placating manner. "Slowly lower the rotten tomatoes." Releases a deep breath at the reader's compliance. "Ending this fic was truly hard for me. It was time and to go through the whole pregnancy would've taken a few chapters. I** _ **hope**_ **this was sufficient as I felt it covered some things I considered important. Now, onto the epi. Gahhh, I'm sorta freaking over it, but** _ **think**_ **I wrote it with you guys in mind. If after you read it, you still want to throw tomatoes, then who am I to stop you?" Steps away from mic and dodges the one or two tomatoes tossed anyway ;)**

 **See you next week :)**


	46. Epi - Speed Limit 70

**One final thanks to Fran for everything she's done to make this story better! I adore her and the time she's willing to give to this fandom. Also, to Michele, Lissa, Judyblue, and Vampiregirl93, you guys gave me so much input and I loved every word! Thank you!**

 **Special thanks to 2browneyes for giving me her input on the final two chapters. Every pre-reader wanted more of something and what started as a 3100 word chapter has turned into 4500 words.**

 **I hope like hell you enjoy it and end up feeling fulfilled!**

* * *

 **EPOV**

 **22 Months later**

 _ **(The day Daddy's princess was born)**_

I wipe Bella's brow as she practices her breathing beside me.

This pregnancy was nothing like the twins, which admittedly, was fairly easy, especially for multiples. With them, she felt good most of the time and labor was quick.

This one has been the complete opposite. She spent months with all day sickness, and now, here we are at week forty-two and they've finally induced her, seeing as our little princess still wasn't ready to enter the world.

She grabs my hand firmly, stopping its movement. "Edward," she says between panting breaths. "All you're doing is irritating me more."

I pull my hand away, carefully, and lean back in my chair. "Sorry, baby. Just trying to help."

She smiles through her pain. "I know and I love you for it, but you should try pushing a human out and see if you want to be coddled." She leans back and grabs her stomach as another contraction hits.

Not being able to stay away, I grab her hand and slide closer just to let her know I'm here. Instead of trying to convince her I understand what she's going through, I simply match my breaths to hers. We continue to breathe until the contraction has passed.

Her grip loosens as the pain fades. "I love you," she says, brushing her fingers along my brow.

I touch our foreheads. "Baby, you are my world."

Just as I lean in to place a small kiss to her lips, she tenses again. "I think … it's time to call Tyler," she pants.

I sit tight and give my support until she's able to relax again, and then I go to the door, calling for the nurse to come check her again.

Settling back beside her, I retake her hand. "They're on the way."

When her grip tightens again so soon, I start to get worried. Matching breaths again, I sit and watch my wife suffer through the pain. When she's done, I stand and go out into the hall. This time, I seek someone out.

"Dr. Crowley," I call, spotting him exiting a door down the hall. "Bella needs you."

He rushes to put the file in its holder on the wall and hurries in my direction. "Is everything all right?" he asks, walking in my direction.

When he reaches me, I urge him to walk faster with a gentle nudge. "Her contractions are coming very close," I answer.

We enter the room with a flourish and I find my wife in the midst of another one. Hurrying to her I side, I assure her that I'm there. "Tyler is here, baby. He can check you as soon as this one passes."

She pants and grunts as the monitor shows me the level of her contraction. The point is spiking higher and higher with each one. As soon as it passes, Tyler and a nurse, who finally decided to grace us with her presence, congregate at Bella's feet.

"Okay, Bella. I need to check you now. Does it feel like it's time to push?" Tyler asks as he guides her legs open and fits his gloved hand between them. You'd think I'd be used to this by now with two pregnancies and a delivery under my belt, but I'm not—not by a long shot.

Bella winces as his hand disappears from sight. I move closer to her side. "I-ahh … I've been ready to push," she manages to get out.

"Yes, it would seem so," Tyler muses almost to himself.

"It's time?" I perk up.

He removes his hand and looks to me, just as Bella starts to tense. "Yes." He turns back to Bella. "You're ready. Pull your legs back on each side as hard as you can. That's it." He smiles. "See, you're already a pro."

Nurses file into the room, and you can bet I have my eyes on them. They assist Tyler in positioning the bed for the birth and he situates himself at the foot.

"Okay, next time a contraction hits, I want you to push when I say the word," he instructs.

Bella gives him a sweaty nod and her face immediately tightens. I stand at her side, too anxious to sit again and hold her hand tightly in mine, encouraging her as best I can.

"Okay, push, push, push, push annnnd that's it," he says. "You did great. Next time same thing, okay?"

Bella grits her teeth and squeezes my hand tighter as the next one comes.

"Here we go," Tyler says. "Push, hold it, hold it … and stop. Good job, I can already see the crown."

Unable to resist, while still holding Bella's hand, I try inconspicuously to lean down to get a look. Bella snatches me back and gives me a brow lift, but then she bears down again and I rush back to her side.

"That's it, Bella. You're doing beautifully. Next time I'm going to need the best push you have. Can you do that?" Tyler asks.

Gritting her teeth and shaking her head, she bears down once more. Only this time, the commotion between her legs can't be ignored. I lean over and catch a glimpse of my daughter's head. Tears start streaming down my cheeks.

I'm in awe.

My wife has grown and nurtured our daughter inside her and is now delivering her into our arms.

The next push has her head out and, and with one final exertion she enters the world with a tiny cry. Moving on pure emotion, I take the proffered snips and separate my daughter from her mother, but not for long because Bella's already reaching for our princess.

So overcome with emotion, I stand and watch as mother and daughter unite. "She's beautiful," Bella exhales.

I run my fingers along her cheek. "You're both beautiful."

 _ **(The day Daddy's princess started kindergarten)**_

"Daddy," Autumn calls from the back seat. "How much longer til we there?"

I chuckle and switch the minivan to drive. "A few more minutes, princess. We just left the driveway."

"Well, I ready to be in my class," she states.

How did we get here? The time has seemed to fly. It feels like only yesterday she uttered Daddy for the first time. Autumn came into our house and captured everyone's attention from the start. There was never a time when the boys wished she were anything but their little sister. They simply adored her from day one, and as she grew, so did their love and protectiveness.

"I know, princess. Ms. Walsh is looking forward to teaching you," I say, smiling at her in the rearview mirror.

"I know," she says excitedly, doing a little dance in her seat. "My friends is gonna be there, too."

"Oh yeah?" I ask. "Where did you meet these friends?"

She rolls her eyes at my apparent lack of understanding. "Everybody in my class is gonna be my friend, silly."

"Ah, okay. I'm sure they're all going to like you a lot," I agree.

"We already have friends," Trystan says from the back seat.

"Uh, huh," Trynt seconds.

"But you not in the same class no more," Autumn points out. "They sep … sepa—"

"Separated," I enounce slowly so she can repeat it.

"Yeah, they separated you," she speaks to the boys.

"We have friends from last year," Trystan counters. "But don't worry, if anybody's mean to you, you just tell us. Okay?"

"Okay," she concedes, "but nobody will be mean to me. I a good friend."

My cell rings and I hit the speakerphone, already knowing who it is. "Morning, baby."

Bella sighs into the line. "Morning, how are my babies doing?"

I chuckle at her worry. "Ask them yourself," I say, holding the phone up so they can hear her speak.

"Morning, sweeties," she announces. "Are you all excited for school?"

Trystan and Trynt answer with a simple yeah, but Autumn starts rambling. I laugh at her excitement. "Hold on, princess. Let me just pass you the phone." I take it off speaker and pass it back to her. "Here you go. When you're done, let Mama talk with the boys."

Since Autumn started Pre-K, Bella has returned to work and while it still requires some juggling, she was needed. Through the years, between her working from home and Jasper and Tanya at the office, they've grown by leaps and bounds.

This very morning, she's in San Francisco attempting to land a huge new account. And while it kills her to miss this occasion, she had no choice but to accept the meeting.

By the time Bella has spoken with all of them, I'm pulling into the school. When I've parked, Autumn is pushing the phone back in my direction.

I take it and put it to my ear. "Feel better now?"

"A little," Bella concedes. "Not as good as I'd feel if I was with you guys, though."

"I know," I respond. "But I've got this, I promise. I'll take good care of our little kindergartner."

"Oh, Edward," she sighs out. "I know you will. That was never in question. This is just a momentous occasion for a Mama to miss." Her voice cracks.

"Please, don't cry, baby," I soothe.

"I'm not, I'm not," she replies, taking a deep breath. Then she laughs lightly. "She seems very sure of herself and excited."

I heave a heavy sigh. "She is sure, probably more so than any of the boys ever were."

"I take it Jake and Seth rode the bus?" Her mood is lighter now as she pokes fun. I somehow thought all my kids would let me take them to school today. How wrong I was.

"Yes," I respond, still a little bitter with those two. "They said it was embarrassing to ride in a minivan with their dad and little siblings for the first day of middle school."

Her giggles fill the line and I smile, even though it's at my expense. "Yeah, yeah. It's so funny."

"Daddy," Autumn whines from her seat. "I ready to go in."

"Okay, baby, the princess has spoken. I love you and we'll talk this afternoon after I pick them up," I say into the line.

"Love you all," she replies. "Bye."

I get out and pocket my phone, walking around the van. When the kids unload, I take Autumn's hand. I expected the twins to take off but am surprised when they accompany me to her class.

I smile inside.

When we get to the door, Autumn stops and turns to me. "This good, Daddy."

My brows rise and I feel a jolt to my heart. "You don't want me to walk you in?"

She points to her teacher standing in front of the room. "Ms. Walsh right there. And look"—she motions to the kids already gathered in the room—"there's lots of friends already here."

I deflate a little at her happy-go-lucky attitude and silently wish she was clinging to my leg. With a heavy sigh, I drop down before her. "Okay, princess. Daddy loves you."

"Luv you, too." She reaches over and gives me a quick kiss on my cheek and a half hug before she turns and runs into the classroom so fast I don't even have time to stop her.

I'm frozen in my spot, watching as she approaches the other kids. A little boy turns as soon as she's close. "What your name?" he asks.

"Autumn Danielle Masen," she replies as proud as punch with a huge smile on her face.

And that's when I know, my little princess isn't a baby anymore.

 _ **(The day Daddy's princess started middle school)**_

"It's a big day, princess," I say as I set a stack of pancakes down in the center of the table. "First day of middle school."

Bella catches my eye and has a small smirk playing on her lips. It seems like every new school year takes my princess further and further away from me.

"It'll be okay, Dad," Trystan says, loading his pancakes with syrup.

"We'll keep an eye on her," Trynt adds, eating his pancakes without any syrup at all.

"You better," Seth basically orders. He's always been sort of the leader of the family, kid-wise. Not to say that Jake doesn't have his fair share of bossy moments, but Seth's much quicker to bark an order and the rest seem all too happy to obey.

"Or else," Jake tacks on with a pointed look at the twins.

"Oh my God! Would you guys just stop it!" Autumn exclaims, giving each one of us the evil eye. "It's not that big of a deal. Besides, Noah will be there."

My teeth clench.

That fucking kid has become the bane of my existence. Noah this, Noah that, Noah can do it, Dad. Can Noah come over? Noah, Noah, Noah.

"No, sweetie, it's not. Your Dad and brothers are just looking out for you, though," Bella reasons. I'm not sure if it's with Autumn or the rest of us, but it almost works. Most of the boys become completely engrossed in their food and I allow my jaw to relax slightly.

"We're just looking out for our baby sister," Jake argues, looking to Bella. He can be more stubborn at times. When he feels justified, he has no qualms in debating his angle. Not in a disrespectful way, but an adult way. It may not be a smart move on his part to go against Bella, but I have to admire his gumption.

"And that's very brotherly of you, sweetie," Bella starts, "but your sister is growing up and we're all going to have to accept that." She glances between him and Seth and sighs. "Just like your dad and I have to accept this is your last year before college."

Bella's guilt trip hits home because Jake focuses his attention on Autumn. "Sis, you know we just want to make sure nothing happens to you, right?"

Autumn deflates, her anger gone. "I know."

Feeling bad, I make my way over and take my seat beside her. "Sorry, princess. You're growing up so fast. I … I guess I'm afraid for the day you won't need me anymore."

Autumn allows her fork to drop to her plate and turns, grabbing me in the fiercest hug she's given me in a while. When she pulls back, she says, "I'll always need you, Daddy."

My heart melts in my chest.

 _ **(The day Daddy's princess liked a boy)**_

I'm at _Switch it Up,_ working on the summer menu when Seth drops Autumn off after an afternoon at the mall. This is routine when Seth and Jake are home from college for the summer. They both make time to spend with their younger siblings as often as they can between work and socializing with their old friends.

Autumn adores her older brothers and usually is all bubbly and happy when she's been out with either of them, but today, something seems … off.

She's acting shy almost, reserved. Unable to concentrate, I decide on the direct approach. "Autumn," I call into the dining room where she's refilling the napkin containers. "Let's talk." I tilt my head for her to follow.

She swallows heavily, but follows me down the hall and takes a seat across from me. "Something wrong?" she asks, twisting the sleeves of her shirt between her fingers.

I lean back in my chair and appraise her. "I was going to ask you the same question."

She focuses on her hands and says nothing at first, but then she takes a deep breath and meets my eyes. "I want to hang out with Noah."

"Okay," I say stretching the word.

That was easy, they hang out already.

Whew! This is nothing new.

She closes her eyes and when she reopens them, their green depths ring with determination. "No, Daddy. I want to hang out … _officially_."

My brows furrow. "Officially? What does that even mean?"

She crosses her arms over her chest, looking so much like her mother—except for her green eyes—that I can imagine Charlie sitting in this very same position many years ago. "We're boyfriend and girlfriend but only see each other at school _or_ when we're working on stuff for school. I think it's time we do something more … grown up."

"B-boyfriend?" I ask, mystified, completely ignoring the 'do something grown up' part of her little speech.

She rolls her eyes. "Daddy, we've been together two months already."

I lean forward and prop my forearms on my desk, my head dropping into my hands. "Does your mama know about this?" I ask without even looking up.

She scoffs. "Of course." I snap up my head. "And I've told you, but you refuse to hear me!"

I cover my ears and shake my head. "Take that back! You take that back right this instance!"

She stands and plants her hands on her hips. "It's time you let your princess grow up," she says assertively and turns to stomp out of the room.

I drop my head and beat it on my desk, repeatedly. Fuck! How did this happen? How is it that my fourteen-year-old thinks she's old enough do 'grown up' things already?

 _._

 _._

I stand at the bedroom door and watch as my wife dresses in her sleep clothes. I can't decide if I'm pissed or horny.

Maybe both.

I approach her from behind and mold my body against hers. "Is there something you need to tell me, Bella?" I ask lowly in her ear.

She relaxes her body against mine, leaning her head back onto my chest in a sensual move. "Seth and Jake are still at Paul's, Trystan and Trynt are at the movies and Autumn's pouting so she shouldn't bother us."

At my princess's name, everything fucking deflates, and I take a seat on the edge of the bed, elbows propped on knees. "Why didn't you tell me, Bella?"

I don't see her facial expression, but I feel her when she sits beside me. "Oh, baby," she sighs out sympathetically. "We've mentioned it … many times, you just always pretended that it was never said." Her fingers are tracing a circuit through my hair as she talks.

"But, she's only fourteen," I say exasperatedly. "How can she even think she's old enough to … to ... "

Bella giggles, she fucking _giggles_. "Baby, it's not like they have a lot of options at their age. Maybe getting dropped off at a movie or somewhere to eat, at most. They already spend time together, we just need to let her _think_ she's getting more."

"Eating?" I ask, a small glimmer of hope filling me.

Bella shrugs. "Sure."

I rub my palms back and forth on my thighs and get my thoughts together. "Okay, they can eat"—Bella starts to smile, but I hold up my finger—"but, it will have to be at _Switch it Up_."

"Edward," she starts, but I don't let her continue.

"No. This is a firm condition. She's fourteen for fuck's sake! They can eat together, alone, and I won't bother them—much, but that's it," I say with a stern expression.

She concedes with a nod. "And the movies?"

"One thing at a time, Bella, one thing at a time."

 _ **(The day the brothers found out)**_

"What!" Seth exclaims, jumping from his chair and starting to pace. "And you said yes?" He looks at me as if I've grown horns.

Jake and Seth were the easiest kids to raise. They stuck together like glue all through school, both graduating with honors. Jake met Vanessa in tenth grade and never looked back while Seth has yet to settle down. And even though they're away at college, they still feel as protective as ever over their baby sis.

I scrub my hands through my hair. "I didn't really have much choice. Your mama's on her side while I just wanted to scream, she's never allowed to like a boy."

Trystan punches his fist into his palm. "It's that McCarty kid, isn't it? I always knew he was trouble."

"And you didn't run him off before now?" I ask, incredulously.

Trystan and Trynt have always been the most protective of their little sister and I guess it's because they're closer in age. Don't get me wrong, Seth and Jake would hunt a fucker down if need be, but Trystan and Trynt have actually had an altercation or two because of her.

Obviously, they let this little fucker slip right through the cracks. I should've picked her up and relocated us all the minute he asked her name in kindergarten. Foolishly, I chose to bury my head and look where that's gotten me.

He's her _boyfriend_ now.

"I've been telling you, Dad. You just refused to listen," Trynt points out, his brown eyes wide and incredulous. He's probably the most innocent of the boys. As the youngest, he's just content to follow the older boys' lead.

"Yeah, remember in sixth grade when they were hanging out together at the school dance?" Trystan asks, his hand clenching a fistful of reddish-brown hair. "I told you then they were too close."

'But … but," I stutter, remembering all too well.

"But nothing," Trystan argues. "I told you he needed to go."

"They've always just been friends, though," I explain.

"Yeah, friends." Trynt snorts. "They're friends all right. Boyfriend and girlfriend."

Jake rolls his eyes and breaks into the conversation. "Look, no need pointing fingers. It's too late now. Everybody stop complaining about the kid and let's figure out what we're going to do about him."

I always knew Jake was a smart kid, and thank fuck he's here now. I'd probably have bald spots if I had to handle this situation alone.

He and Seth followed Jared to UCLA for college while Vanessa went to Cal State just thirty minutes away. Joseph joined the rest of the boys the following year. They may have had their ups and downs when they were little, but now those boys are thick as thieves.

I'm not positive if Trystan and Trynt will join them at UCLA next year or not, but one thing I am sure of is Leah. Uncle Edward's angel turned out to be the most like me. She has a passion for food, and while the rest worked at the restaurant for extra cash, she actually showed interest in the kitchen. It's in her blood, after all.

Jake and Seth may have been too young to really grasp Leah's contribution to Jake being cured, but it's something Bella and I will never forget. She'll always hold a special place, and the fact that she wants to go to culinary school makes my heart beam with pride.

"Now you're talking," Trynt agrees, rubbing his hands together.

"Fuck." I sink down into my chair and look at my boys. "Your mama will have our asses if we mess this up for your sister."

"That's why it needs to appear innocent," Seth says with a mischievous grin.

Aside from being the bossiest, Seth is also the schemer. Where Jake would attempt to persuade you to his way of thinking with deep thought and logic, Seth would take a completely different route. He'd form a plan and play you like a fiddle, make you think you changed your mind all on your own.

I fucking love my boys.

"What are you thinking, son?" I lean closer, hoping like hell his plan will make this all go away.

 _ **(The day Daddy's princess dines with a boy)**_

It's goddamn date day—might as well call a spade a spade. Just thinking about it makes me want to snap something in half.

Following the plan, Jake spends the afternoon with Autumn before dropping her at _Switch It Up_ to meet _Noah._ What she doesn't realize is that he won't be going far. He and Seth will _accidentally_ run into the little punk in the parking lot.

"Hey, Daddy," she says as she comes through the door. The smile on her face is magnificent. What happened to the days she smiled like that because of me?

I fucking sigh.

Long gone.

These days those smiles are reserved for _Noah,_ or me when I say she can eat with _Noah._

"Hey, princess," I say, trying to act happy for her.

"Can I use your office to change?" she asks like it's a perfectly normal request.

"Change?" I repeat.

She huffs. "You didn't think I'd wear these clothes on my date, did you?" She motions to the jeans and pink shirt she's wearing, looking at me like it's the most ridiculous thing imaginable.

"Oh, yeah, of course," I stutter. "Go ahead."

As soon as she's out of sight, I shoot off a couple texts to make sure everyone is ready to do their part. They must be just as fucking anxious as me because replies come within seconds.

I breathe a little easier.

When my princess returns, she as pretty as ever. "What's that stuff on your lips?"

"Uh, lip gloss," she says like I'm an idiot. "I wear it every day."

"Sure. So, uh, what time can we expect _Noah_?" I ask, wishing he'd never show.

She looks to the clock on the wall and does a little dance in her spot. "He should be here any minute."

I point to a table set up in the corner. "I have that table ready for you. Once you're seated, I'll come take your order."

"You?" she asks. "Why not Carmen?"

I sigh and plead with my eyes. "Look, princess, it's asking a lot from me to let you dine with your … _boyfriend,_ and I'll leave you alone, mostly, but be a sport and don't complain. Okay? Can you give Daddy just this little bit?"

Her shoulders slump and she walks over to stand in front of me. Throwing her arms around me, she squeezes me tight. "I love you, Daddy," she says quietly.

"I love you, princess."

She steps back and looks at me, tenderness in her eyes. "Don't worry, Daddy. You'll always be the most important man in my life."

My resolve crumbles.

And that's when I know, I have to call off the troops.

My little princess isn't so little anymore.

.

.

Life is a roller coaster with ups and downs and flips and turns.

It's up to us whether we hold on tight or sway our hands in the air and enjoy the ride.

I'm still swaying my hands and enjoying this fucking ride …

Sharp left turns and all.

* * *

 **So this bad boy was just sitting there, loaded on FF, and I thought, why not? It's the last chapter, no reason to wait until morning. It's later in the day so replies will be tomorrow, but there you have it,** **and I hope it gave you enough of everything you needed to feel complete. It was super hard to wrap this up and also bittersweet.**

 **I can't even begin to thank you for the love this story has received. I have no words. It was unexpected and absolutely mind blowing! Thank you to everyone who read, pimped, reviewed or just lurked. YOU made this story such a success. I owe Fran an outtake and will post it when I get it done.**

 **Look for some new things around the 8** **th** **of Feb ;)**

 **See you next time :)**


	47. DV Teasers with AN

**Hi, again. I'm sorry to keep doing this, but at least this time I come bearing gifts! I sadly have to announce that I pulled my outtake from the Fandoms Against Domestic Violence charity compilation. My reason for doing so is simple really. The ladies in charge felt it was okay to be rude to some of the authors who had graciously agreed to donate their time and talent to the cause. When I saw this happen, I knew I needed to speak up** **—** **only to be told, "If you don't like it, leave." So I did.**

 **Below you will find the SLT Outtake teaser, along with a teaser from the other authors who chose to leave also, and a couple who were never signed up. All of these stories will be included with the SLT outtake in a PDF.**

 **I want my outtake to benefit the cause I wrote it for. If ANY of you have already donated, please notify me via PM or direct email. My email address is the number eighty-nine (89) and my FF name (fyrebyrd) at gmail dot com. You will automatically receive this additional collection of 5 stories.**

 **For those who haven't yet, or perhaps weren't, maybe you'll reconsider. We're planning to have this PDF ready to send on Nov 14 to anyone who donates or has already donated. There is no minimum, and the only requirement is that it be a Domestic Violence cause. Just donate and send a pic of the receipt or confirmation email at the email address above, so that I will have an avenue to send the PDF out to you.**

 **Please consider, because this is such a worthy cause, and I wrote that outtake in hopes that it would help raise funds toward Domestic Violence. Now, without further ado … here are teasers to the included stories … and any author reading this who wishes to add something is welcome :)**

* * *

 **Sharp Left Turn Outtake by Fyrebyrd**

 **Summary:** The kids are older, Jake and Seth are nine, the twins, five, and the princess is three. Edward and Bella face a situation Edward had hoped to avoid, though it was always inevitable.

 **EPOV**

As I start moving, the ruckus gets louder, so my feet move faster. When I'm close enough to see what's happening, I notice a bigger kid, and two about the same size as my boys, are faced off with the Masen crew. I can't quite make out the words yet, but it's obviously a confrontation.

Just as I'm about to grab Jared's shoulder, because he's closest, Jake scoots to the side and sticks out his foot while Seth hauls back and shoves the big kid as hard as he can. The boy falls to the ground before I can catch him.

Due to the presence of an adult, namely me, the other two kids scatter, but the big kid is already getting up. "I'm gonna make you pay, Looney Twins!" he yells and starts to charge at them, but I put my hand on his chest.

"You're going to do no such thing," I bark and turn to my boys. "I'm sure this is some kind of misunderstanding. Seth, Jake, apologize to this kid for making him fall."

They both look at me like I've lost my damn mind, but I haven't. I tense. "I said apologize," I say in the most I-mean-business-dad-like voice I possess.

Both boys give me nasty looks, but at least they mumble, "Sorry." Even though they don't look at the kid.

I look back to the little fucker that called my sons a name. "This is the end of this little altercation. I suggest you not call my sons anything other than their names from here out. Got me?" I ask, giving him a withering stare.

He bobs his head quickly. "Yes, sir."

"Good." I move my hand from his chest and wave him away. "Now get out of here." He scatters and I turn my hard gaze to the rest of the Masens. "Get moving!"

* * *

 **Escape My Love by TwiAddictAnne**

 **Summary:** Love—the purest form of emotion, and also, the most vicious form of torture. With them, it was a little bit of the both … until that moment. Now, can they escape the clutches of this cursed feeling? Most of all, will they want to?

Edward Cullen watches with ill-disguised boredom as the realtor points out all the many features of the house.

"Mr. Cullen," the woman showing too much cleavage to be appropriate says, motioning to the bedroom door. "Take a look at the décor of this room. I'm sure a man like you will appreciate the ambiance of it."

The way her eyes appraise his body doesn't escape him.

Unlike what she must expect though, Edward feels his stomach lurch at the thought of her around him in any capacity other than professional.

"Thanks, Ms. Denali," he says quickly when she starts to speak again. "Why don't you give me the floor plan so I can peruse it at my leisure? I'll inform the agency about my decision."

The smile drops from her overdrawn lips only to return momentarily. "Of course, Mr. Cullen," she agrees, offering him the thick folder held in her claw-like hands. "I'll be happy to help you decide in any way you prefer."

Before Edward has to try and rebuff her advances again, the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps reach them. "You're already selling my home? Who bought it?" an all-too-familiar voice calls out from behind, making him turn around.

"Edward!" His name spoken in a gasp makes him stare at the girl at the door.

No, he corrects himself. Not a girl. She's a woman now.

Tanya Denali clears her throat. "Mr. Cullen, this is Isabella Swan, the daughter of the former owner."

With his eyes locked on the woman who ruined his life, Edward smiles. "I'll take the house."

* * *

 **Being Famous by Gabby1017**

 **Summary:** Edward Cullen is famous. He lives his life surrounded by bodyguards, agents, managers, and fans; all looking to take something from him. This is his life, all he has ever known, but could there be more? After a loss, he finds a box of old photographs, letters and a special letter for him that opens his mind to other possibilities.

"God, Edward, I can't believe she knew all these people," Bella gasps.

"She made most of their careers."

She grabs another letter. "Thanks for sharing dinner with me last night. I appreciate you coming out to console me. Jack just couldn't get away and I felt so all alone." Bella's eye widen. "Jesus, that was Marilyn Monroe and she was talking about JFK."

"Yeah, my mom told me she was very quiet and shy."

"I can't imagine what it would be like growing up with all these actors hanging around your house."

"My grandmother made her house a haven for these celebrities. She was loved."

Bella reads another letter, "Thank you, Miss Platt. Once again, a great review from you and I am loved again. Forever in your debt, Frank Sinatra. Wow."

"That one was my mom's," I explain. "She had many guys after her, but when she met Dad that was it."

"Why didn't you follow in their footsteps?"

I huff, "I'm better reading the lines than writing them. Besides, Mom's my best critic." I laugh.

* * *

 **Love is Easy, but Life is Complicated Outtake By 2browneyes**

 **Summary:** The time has come when a young boy will have questions difficult to answer. The truth, as horrible as it may be, needs to be told.

"Rose, hun, you know I love you, but you're going to have to sit down with the twins and tell them eventually." I hated to be the bearer of bad news.

"I know, but I thought they would be so much older. They're only thirteen. Alec is too young to know, isn't he?" She sighed.

"Yes, he's young, but I don't think just telling him that his sperm donor was a bad guy is going to work anymore." I tried to reason.

"I know…I know…I just can't do it. I can't look him in the eyes and tell him. It's so much harder with him and Alicia than when I told Emmett," Rose lamented.

"He's not going to blame you or think less of you. Which is why the questions need to be answered now, rather than letting his mind run away with him, or if he tries to go find Royce himself."

"Ugh. You're right." She groaned.

* * *

 **Damsel by Fyremasen**

 **Summary:** A true gentleman can never resist a damsel in distress.

"What?" I say when I can't handle it anymore.

He reaches a finger up and brushes it down my overheated cheek. "This is a good color on you, darlin'." He smirks and withdraws his touch, lodging his hands in his jean pockets. "So." He rocks back on his heels. "Dinner? Or you need to go home first?"

It takes me a minute to even comprehend what he's asking because I'm too distracted by his lean form. When I realize he actually wants an answer, I have to replay his words. Looking down at myself, I lift one shoulder casually. "I can just take off my lab coat, and I'm ready."

He smiles, and his green eyes sparkle. "I'm not opposed to any shedding of clothes."

My jaw drops and before I can pick it up, those long fingers are already there, pushing it closed with a wink. "Was that too much too soon?"

I pull my bottom lip between my teeth and allow my eyes to scan him from his gorgeous green eyes to his cowboy boot-clad feet. When I look at him again, I smirk. "As long as it's tit for tat, I don't mind that at all." I lift my arms and push the lab coat from my shoulders, and then, I tug the band from my hair, shaking it out to fall loose around my face. I cross my arms and lift a brow. "Well."

He stands there staring at me wide-eyed and stunned for several seconds before something seems to click. When it does, he starts tugging his plaid shirt from his jeans, his deft fingers already opening the buttons. I stand transfixed and watch as the shirt drifts open. Underneath is a white shirt, and it is not until his button up falls from his shoulders that I realize it's a wife beater.

Taut arms and strong, square shoulders fill my vision. My eyes can't help but trail over the newly exposed flesh. Muscles ripple as he moves so close I can smell his skin and says, "Is this okay." His fingers grip my hips and his head tilts down, his eyes so intent on mine that I'm not positive I could remain standing were it not for his hold.

His tongue peaks out to wet his lips, and I'm done. I can't stop myself. I lift up on my toes and push my mouth to his.

His hand leaves my hip and tangles in my hair. With lips and tongue, he kisses me like he's a dying man, and I'm his salvation.

Gasping for air, we break away from each other. His hands smooth down my hair as his forehead finds mine. Groaning he pulls away. "If we don't leave right now, I'm gonna to do something that we'd regret."

"Are you sure we'd regret it?" At this point I'm ready to throw him down right here in the parking lot.

* * *

 **If you have any questions, PM or email me :)**


	48. Outtake

**Fran is the beta extraordinaire and, shit, I can't quite remember exactly who pre-read this for me, but I'm going with 2browneyes, Judyblue and Michele, maybe? Thanks, ladies :)**

* * *

 **Summary:** The kids are older, Jake and Seth are nine, the twins, five, and the princess is three. Edward and Bella face a situation Edward had hoped to avoid, though it was always inevitable

 **EPOV**

"What book do you guys want me to read?" I ask the twins as they settle into their bunk beds. Not much has changed over the years, only the players. At the age of nine, Jake and Seth no longer _allow_ me to read to them, but it's made a little easier to accept because Trynt and Trystan are all too willing to make Daddy feel better by listening attentively.

"Dog Man," Trystan calls from the top bunk.

I look to Trynt to see if he has any objections. He just shrugs, so I grab the book from their shelf and make my way over to my usual chair where I sit in the lamplight and read.

Not even ten pages later, a quick peek at the boys lets me know they're both sleeping soundly. I nestle them in their covers and make my way down the hall where Bella has already tucked my princess in nice and tight.

In the glow of her nightlight, I run my hand over her soft brown hair, admiring the way it shines in the dim light. At three, she's already her own little person—Bella's mini me. I'm already a weak man when it comes to my wife, so it isn't hard to imagine how this little one has me wrapped just as fucking tight.

I place a soft kiss to her cheek and whisper, "Goodnight, princess."

After staring at her angelic face for one more minute, I get up and retreat from her room, my mind already fast forwarding to Bella.

With five young kids, quiet moments are fucking precious. My steps quicken as I get closer to our bedroom, and when I open the door, I can hear the water running in the bathroom. Eager to join her, I hurry in that direction, already stripping my clothes along the way.

By the time I have the bathroom door shut and locked behind me, I'm naked and hard as a fucking rock. Seeing the outline of her nude, water covered body behind the glass enclosure causes my cock to start leaking.

With swift but determined steps, I stalk across the bathroom and almost rip the door from its hinges when I snatch it open. Bella doesn't even react, she just continues soaping her body in the most sensual way I've ever seen.

My tongue comes out and sweeps over my bottom lip as I stand transfixed by her every fucking move. The suds run a trail over her bare skin that forces my eyes to follow and my feet to move.

Sliding in behind her, I grip her hips and pull her flush against me. "Goddamn it, Bella. Do you know what you're doing to me?"

She slips around to face me, her tits lift and push together, distracting me. "I have an idea," she says coyly, rubbing her slippery body against mine.

I drop to my knees to worship the womanly body before me, lifting both her tits and running my thumbs over the tight buds, using the soap as lube. My eyes land on hers and watch as they fall closed, and she pulls that fucking plump lip in between her teeth. There's nothing better than the face Bella makes when she's feeling pleasure. It's the moments like this that I live for, especially when they're so fucking sparse these days.

When a slight moan escapes, I scramble back to my feet and push my mouth to hers with urgency. The water cascades between us as I grip the back of her head, angling her so I can shove my tongue deeper. My other hand slips down her back and cups her ass at the juncture of her thigh. Needing no more encouragement, she lifts and wraps one toned leg around my hip and writhes against me.

My muscles tense at the pleasure that shoots through me as her slick folds slide against my cock. A growl rumbles low in my chest, and I rip our lips apart, bringing my other hand down to lift, pinning her against the wall. Eye to eye, I thrust once, experimentally, watching as chills race over her heated skin.

"I can't be easy tonight, baby. I fucking need you."

Reaching down, I line up my cock and enter her in one, hard thrust. Sweet, tight heat envelops me as teeth sink into my shoulder to muffle her moan. A surge of passion races over my skin as I pull back and thrust again, and again, and again.

With legs locked tight around my waist, Bella bounces with every move I make. Her head beats a steady thump against the wall as she watches me with heavy-lidded eyes.

A pounding on the door brings every movement to a screeching halt. Both of us stare wide-eyed and frozen at the other.

"Mom!" yells a voice, which belongs to a kid I want to strangle.

My whole being slumps in my spot, but I'm not fucking giving up yet. Those boys are supposed to be in the damn bed! With tentative strokes and a finger over my lips, I start moving again. Bella's eyes widen even more, but she doesn't admonish me.

Her breaths speed.

I smirk.

More pounding. "Mom!" This time it's Jake's voice.

"I'll … Out in a minute," she yells as best she can while my cock moves in and out of her at a tortuously slow pace.

Using the wall for leverage, I slide my palm up and grip her hair, extending her neck to the side. My lips land on silky skin, and they nip and suck with each thrust.

The banging starts again, and this time, it sounds like a herd of elephants is trying to beat down the door. "Mom," Seth whines. "We can't find our cleats."

Bella opens her mouth, but all that escapes is a quiet moan.

I smirk some more and pick up my pace.

"Mom, come help!" the devious duo whines in unison.

I chuckle. "She's helping your dad find the soap." Bella's eyes jump to mine, but I just smirk harder and swivel my hips. "Go to your room, and she'll be there in a minute," I yell a little more sternly than necessary.

"Dad?" Seth asks like he can't believe I'm in here too.

"Yeah, son. Just go. I promise she'll be out soon." I try to sound as sincere as I can while keeping my hips moving at a steady pace.

Finally, I hear the faint sound of feet pattering through our room and the door shutting behind them, and instead of feeling relief, I feel urgency. Stepping back to let her legs drop, I quickly spin her around and brace her hands against the wall.

"This is going to be fast and hard, baby," I growl, lining up and pushing inside.

Her resounding moan is all the fucking encouragement needed. Gripping her hips tightly, I start thrusting mine at a hurried pace. Her moans set the tone, and when I hear that special one, I repeat the movement over and over until her back arches and her nails start digging into the tile. The burn in my stomach builds in the wake of her spasms until I'm emptying inside her.

Removing her fingers from the death grip she has on the wall, I hold her close while we both catch our breaths. A few seconds later, I grab the body wash and that fucking pink ball thing and start quickly cleaning her up so she can help the boys find their damn shoes.

*****SLT*****

The next morning is a repeat of every weekday morning. I get up and make breakfast, taking a minute halfway through to wake everyone else, and we eat at the table as a family once it's done. Then, I kiss my family goodbye—the ones who still allow it anyway—while they load in with Bella. Autumn will be dropped at Esme's, and it's to school for the rest of them.

This morning, as Seth's trying to slip by, I grab his shoulder. "Hey, you get your shoes sorted last night?"

"Yeah, Dad." He tries to climb on in.

"Well, where were they?" I ask holding him back, because duh.

Both the boys stand there, looking embarrassed. Finally, Jake says, "They were under Seth's bed."

"That's it?" I furrow my brows. "You didn't look under your beds before you came yelling for your mom's help?"

Seth's eyes go to the ground, and Jake just shrugs. "Sorry."

I sigh. "It's not that big of a deal, but geesh, dudes, you should've already had your soccer bags ready before bedtime. Besides, you just used your cleats two days ago. Be a little more considerate next time, yeah?"

"Yes, sir," they say in unison.

I smile and hold out my fist. "Cool. Have a good day at school, and I'll see you this afternoon."

Seth gives me a bump and climbs inside, and so does Jake, but he adds, "Don't forget to put our bags in your van, Dad."

"No problem." I chuckle and pull the door closed behind them.

After cleaning up from breakfast, I don my chef jacket so I can head into _Switch It Up_. Owning a restaurant is tiring but fulfilling work—with a competent fucking staff that is. Every hire can't be perfect, but it's gotten to the point where I won't allow anybody to employ kitchen staff except me.

With a sigh, I grab my keys and the boys' soccer bags and head out the door. This morning, I make my usual run to Pike Place Market.

"Morning, Eleazer," I address the old man who's been supplying fresh fruits and vegetables to the restaurant for the past two years.

"Morning, Edward. What ya after today?" he asks, waving his hand over the generous selection of fresh, farm-grown goods at his stand.

With my fingers propped on my chin, I scan over the offerings laid out before me. "You got enough of the butternut squash to fill an order?"

Old man Eleazer tips his chin downward. "Sure do. That asparagus is as fresh as they come, too."

I smirk. "Sounds good, El. I'll take some of both."

It takes two fucking trips to load the boxes in my car, but I'm satisfied with my purchases. My mind's already moved on to what recipe I want to use or if I'm going to create something new. By the time I arrive at _Switch It Up,_ the kitchen's already abuzz with prep work.

A shit ton of paperwork awaits me in my office, but I can't seem to care. I grab my knife case, set up my prep station and join the rest of the kitchen staff. I don't get to cook as much as I'd like, and though it makes them nervous as hell to have me around, I try to make my presence known as often as possible.

After a satisfying morning of physical work, I retire to my office to do paperwork in the afternoon. Some time later, a chuckle breaks my concentration.

I look up to see Jay casually propped against my door frame. "What the fuck are you laughing at?"

"Never thought I'd see you bent over a stack of paperwork with your reading glasses on instead of in the kitchen," he replies with an easy shrug. "I told you I'd get to it this afternoon when I got here."

I snort. "You know I can't leave that shit lying around, bro. Drives me nuts."

He throws his head back and chuckles heartily. "Who are you, and where the fuck is my brother?" he asks, searching around the room for another person like an idiot. "You're like the new, improved, OCD Edward or some shit."

"What the fuck do you expect?" I ask incredulously. "I have my own restaurant and five kids under ten. Might as well be two sets of twins." I chuckle and shake my head, remembering the lengths I had to go just to have a minute with Bella.

"Wait a minute." He holds up his hand, stopping my thoughts from wandering too far. "What was that look for?"

I reorganize my face into a confused expression and lift my brows high. "What look?" I ask as if I have no clue what he means.

He snaps his fingers and takes a couple steps into the room. "Uh huh, I saw something brewing behind those beady eyes."

Throwing my head back, I laugh hard before pulling my reading glasses off and rubbing my eyes. "Seriously, man. Schedule is my life these days, and all this paperwork drives me nuts!" I wave my hands at the different stacks perched haphazardly across the desk.

He pushes his hands out in front of him. "Okay, bro, chill. Go check on the kitchen, and I'll get started on it now before the dinner crowd hits." He glances at his watch. "Hell, when you're done there, head on out. I owe you for staying late last week."

I scrub my hands over my face and stand, stretching my neck to get out the kinks. "Thanks, bro." On my way by, I pat him on the back.

The rest of my afternoon is much smoother after loading all that damn paperwork on Jay. I chuckle to myself as I make the filling for butternut squash ravioli.

When it hits two, I start cleaning up my station and stop by the office to let Jay know I'm gone before heading out to the minivan. This is our routine. Bella does mornings, and on the couple afternoons she's in the office, I do pick up.

First up is Autumn. I park and head inside Esme's to get my baby girl. Esme gives me a beaming smile as soon as she sees me. "Edward, how are you?"

I bend and kiss her cheek. "I'm doing well. How did her day go?"

"You know that girl gets along with everybody." She shakes her head and starts leading us back to where my princess is playing with another group of kids.

Since the boys were here, Esme has expanded and added her own Pre-K programs, and Autumn is currently in her three-year-old class. She's smart as a whip anyway, but since she started, I can already see the difference on the basic things like recognizing letters and shit.

It takes her a minute to spot me, and when she does, she just gives me a smile and a wave. That's it. She doesn't run to her daddy with arms wide open or anything. "Autumn, let's go, baby," I say sweetly and squat, opening my arms so she'll get the hint.

She glances at me and holds up a finger. "Just a minute. Let me finish this."

I drop my arms, defeated, only to feel a gentle touch on my shoulder and a light chuckle. "They grow up quickly, don't they?"

Realizing the touch isn't from Esme, I immediately stand and take a step to the side. Not recognizing the woman, I cross my arms. "She's just trying to finish her puzzle," I say, not liking this stranger commenting on my princess's failure to fawn all over her daddy.

She throws her head back, giggling like I said the funniest shit ever. When she looks to me again, she's batting her fucking lashes and playing with a string of pearls that hang from her neck.

 _Oh shit, I know this look_.

I start moving toward Autumn, and when I reach her, I crouch down beside her. "Come on, princess. We have to get the boys. Jake and Seth have practice today."

She snaps her eyes to mine. "Really?"

I nod and open my arms. Instead, she takes my hand and says, "Let's go."

I may huff a little as I stand, but with her hand secured in mine, I start leading her from the room. As we pass the unknown woman, she drops down beside my daughter and holds out her hand.

"Hi. I'm Tia. What's your name?"

Autumn looks at her strangely, then up to me. I shrug one shoulder, so she turns back to the lady. "I'm not posed to talk to strangers," she says and starts pulling on my hand again.

I chuckle and smirk at Tia as we leave her squatted on the floor with her hand held out, a confused expression on her face.

"Do you know that lady, Daddy?" Autumn asks after we've left the building.

I look down at her and shake my head. "Nope. Never seen her before."

She holds her free hand up and waves around as she asks, "Why strange ladies always talkin' to us?"

A sarcastic chuckle escapes before I can stop it, and I swoop down and grab her, placing her on my hip and poking her belly with my pointer finger. "I have no idea, princess." I snort. "Maybe they're lonely and need some friends."

"You not wanna be they fwiends?" she asks, her green eyes serious.

I tilt my head, pausing to choose my words wisely. "Well, everybody needs friends, but I have a lot already."

"You can never have too many," she says, and she's being completely serious. "I have bunches of fwiends."

Smiling, and attempting to change the subject, I tickle her belly. "Of course you do, princess. You're the best friend in the whole world."

Her giggles fill my ears, and luckily we've reached the car so the subject is dropped. Once I have her buckled in, we make the short drive to the elementary school while my princess goes on and on about her day. I think she replays every second of it by the time we arrive.

The fucking pick-up line is already long, so I pull in and move inch by fucking inch until, fucking finally, I can see the boys waiting. They make an imposing group. Jake, Seth, Jared, Joseph, Trystan, Trynt and Leah all stand together.

I smile to myself as I stop in front of them. The boys slide the door open and Jake and Seth load in the very back seat while the twins settle in beside their sister. I wave at the three others left waiting on Vic and send a smile to Leah, who's the only one to wave back anyway.

"How was school today?" I ask as we pull away from the curb.

"Fine," both Seth and Jake say at the same time.

At least my other boys are still interested in me. Trystan and Trynt take off, talking about their day, almost completing each other's sentences. Every now and then Autumn breaks in to ask a question, and they patiently explain whatever she wants to know. I smile to myself as we make our way to the field.

Since the school doesn't have a team, and the boys want to play, we've signed them up for soccer at the local YMCA. They're actually pretty good at it, and the twins are eager to get their start next season. It doesn't hurt that Joseph and Jared play, too, and even though they're on different teams, they all practice side by side.

When we arrive at the field, the boys grab their bags and run off toward where the rest of the kids are gathering. I unload the smaller three, and as earlier, Autumn only wants to hold my hand on the way to the sidelines. I grit my teeth but smile at my baby as we head to a bench.

Trystan and Trynt position themselves in the grass between the white line and us, and I let my princess roam the area right in front of me. After a couple minutes, Vic sits beside me with a huff while Leah takes off and joins the twins.

"That school line get to you?" I ask, giving her a side glance.

She rolls her eyes. "I don't know why I don't get there earlier. It's the same every day. I spend more time in that line each afternoon than I do getting them dressed and dropping them off in the mornings."

I bump her shoulder and chuckle. "In my experience, to be close to the front of the line you have to get there an hour before school's even out. Fuck that noise. At least we're moving, even if it is only an inch at a fucking time."

She just shakes her head, and we scan the different teams out there today. Jake and Seth are practicing their dribbling almost directly in front of us, and Trystan, Trynt and Leah run up and down the sidelines, keeping an eye on all three teams. For the most part, Autumn just runs around in front of me, unless the older kids are down this way, then she joins them until they run off again.

After practice winds down, the coaches gather their teams to center field for their daily pep talk, so I yell to the twins and Leah to head back over this way. By the time they make it to us, I notice our boys have collected together and are about to head this way. I stand, ready to pick up Autumn, when I hear a ruckus.

My eyes search for the noise and immediately zero in on a group of boys gathered halfway between here and center field. And of fucking course, every single one of ours is in the middle of it.

I glance to my princess, unsure what to do, until Vic gives me a shove. "Go! I've got these." She waves at the four smaller kids standing around us.

As I start moving, the ruckus gets louder, so my feet move faster. When I'm close enough to see what's happening, I notice a bigger kid, and two about the same size as my boys, are faced off with the Masen crew. I can't quite make out the words yet, but it's obviously a confrontation.

Just as I'm about to grab Jared's shoulder, because he's closest, Jake scoots to the side and sticks out his foot while Seth hauls back and shoves the big kid as hard as he can. The boy falls to the ground before I can catch him.

Due to the presence of an adult, namely me, the other two kids scatter, but the big kid is already getting up. "I'm gonna make you pay, Looney Twins!" he yells and starts to charge at them, but I put my hand on his chest.

"You're going to do no such thing," I bark and turn to my boys. "I'm sure this is some kind of misunderstanding. Seth, Jake, apologize to this kid for making him fall."

They both look at me like I've lost my damn mind, but I haven't. I tense. "I said apologize," I say in the most I-mean-business, dad-like voice I possess.

Both boys give me nasty looks, but at least they mumble, "Sorry." Even though they don't look at the kid.

I look back to the little fucker that called my sons a name. "This is the end of this little altercation. I suggest you not call my sons anything other than their names from here out. Got me?" I ask, giving him a withering stare.

He bobs his head quickly. "Yes, sir."

"Good." I move my hand from his chest and wave him away. "Now get out of here." He scatters and I turn my hard gaze to the rest of the Masens. "Get moving!"

Even though it's obvious Jake and Seth are still pissed at me, they know better than misbehave. As soon as we reach the sidelines, Vic gives me a questioning brow. I just shrug and shake my head. I look around to see where the fucker's parents are and notice he's getting on a bike. I watch until he takes off down the street with his little gang of two in tow.

As we're walking back to the parking lot, I move up beside Vic. "Talk to your boys and see what they say, okay?"

"Sure," she agrees. "I'm not sure they'll say much, but I'll see what I can do."

I nod and look ahead where Jake and Seth are walking, still tense as hell. I take a deep breath. Looks like I may be on their shit list tonight.

The ride home is silent aside from talk between the smaller three. Neither Jake nor Seth say a word. By the time we get there, the tension is so thick you can't even cut it with a fucking machete.

As soon as I turn off the ignition, I turn to face the boys. "Go to your room. I'll be up shortly." Jake huffs and gets up, snatching the door open. Both he and Seth file out with their soccer bags and huge ass attitudes. I take a few deep breaths before getting out to unload the other kids.

When we walk in the house, all is quiet. I head to the kitchen and set out a snack on the table before trudging up the stairs. "Trystan, Trynt," I call toward their room. "Snack's ready."

Once I hear their feet heading my way, I turn and head to Seth's room. With two raps, I enter and go sit beside him on the bed. "What was that about?"

He rolls to face the other direction. I grit my teeth. "Fine. Have it your way. See you at dinner." I get up and stalk from the room, shutting the door behind me—loudly.

Following a different path, I get the same results from Jake. I leave them both alone in their rooms until dinner. Heading back downstairs, I go straight to the kitchen. I'm actually thankful to be cooking. It's my passion and a good way to work out my current frustrations.

By the time I'm almost done, I hear the front door. Sighing, I head out to see my wife. Before I've even made it to her, she's read me like a book. Her hand goes to my cheek. "What's wrong?"

I shake my head and pull her closer, pushing my lips to hers. I sigh into the kiss, everything in me automatically settling. When we pull apart, I say, "Trouble with Jake and Seth."

"What now?" she asks, propping her hand on her hip, and I can't help it, I smile at her cuteness. Even after five years, my wife can still be a spitfire when necessary. Maybe I should sic her on them instead.

"Some little fucker at soccer practice called them the Looney Twins," I tell her, my jaw tightening as I think about it.

"Edward," she admonishes, smacking me on the chest. "Do not call other kids names like that!"

"He called my kids a name!" is my smart reply.

There goes that hand again, propping right on that sexy as hell hip. "He's a child. You're not. Case closed." She punctuates it with a jab to my chest.

I grab her finger and try to look like I'm sorry. "Fine." Then I pull her closer and kiss her once more because those damn pursed lips are too much to ignore.

A tug on my pant leg breaks me away. "Daddy, we gotta finish cookin'."

I reach down and pick up my princess—and she doesn't complain—before kissing Bella one more time. "Go get changed. Dinner will be ready soon. Bring the boys down too, would you?"

She smiles and nods before moving up the stairs. When she leaves my sight, my princess and I return to the kitchen to set out dinner. When Bella reappears, it's with two normal boys and two who are still sulking. A silent head shake is all it takes to let me know she didn't get anything out of them either.

Dinner is usually a quiet affair, but tonight it holds an extra tenseness. Jake and Seth barely eat, and they damn sure don't speak. It puts me on edge to be shut out so thoroughly. I do my best to stay lively with the other kids, but it isn't without effort.

Bella does what she can to keep everything upbeat. "Are we ready for dessert?" she asks, smiling brightly.

I guess that's the straw that breaks the camel's back, because Seth's fork hits his plate with a loud clang and he stands, his chair falling behind him as his hands make a huge smack on the table.

Before I can admonish him, he starts yelling, "Pretending everything's okay isn't going to make it true!" With that, he turns and stomps from the room. Jake leaves his seat and swiftly follows.

I sit stunned, staring at the two vacated chairs.

"What's got his panties in a twist?" Trystan holds up his hands and asks.

I can't help it, I burst out laughing because the only other alternative is to march up the stairs and force the boys to talk. And I'm sure Bella would divorce me by the time I'm done.

When I get myself under control, dessert is already on the table, but I can't stomach anymore food. I excuse myself and grab my cell phone.

Pulling up Vic's number, I hit dial. "Hello."

"Vic, it's me," I say like an idiot. Of course, she knows it's me.

She laughs into the line. "I know." Then she sighs. "So, what exactly happened?"

I flop down onto the couch. "Pretty much what you saw, aside from that kid calling my boys the Looney Twins."

She lets out a small gasp. "Why would he call them that?"

"Your guess is as good as mine."

"Have they told you anything else?" she asks curiously.

"Not a fucking word," I reply, scrubbing my hands over my face.

"Me either, but look, Jay will be home any minute. I'll send him up. They tend to be freer with information when it's their dad asking," she replies, and I can hear the concern in her voice, probably the same as she can hear the desperation in mine.

I sigh and grip my hair. "Have him call me."

"Will do." I toss the phone on the couch beside me and lay my head back, closing my eyes. I don't know how long I stay like that, but a soft touch has me opening them to see my upside down wife. I grab her hand and pull her around to my lap.

"What are we going to do with them?" I murmur.

She fucking snorts and scratches through my stubble, sending a wave of calm moving over me. "Edward, it was just an altercation, maybe even with a bully. They have each other and their cousins. They'll come to us when they're ready, or maybe they won't even need us."

I blow a breath out my nose while I consider her words. Most of them are right, but there's something, _something_ about this that is bothering me more than it should. Finally, I offer her a nod. "I'll trust you on this … for now."

She smiles and moves her hand into my hair to scratch there too. I almost fucking purr. Just as she goes to speak, my phone rings from beside me. I jerk upright, almost dumping her to the floor, and grab it.

"Yeah."

"Bro, this is not good," Jay says in lieu of a hello.

"Fuck," I swear, cutting my eyes to Bella. "What is it?"

"Man, that kid, he's fucking with the boys about Maria," Jay says, his voice is every bit as hard as I feel.

Everything clicks into place for me. Maria was sentenced to a mental hospital for her actions when Jake was in the hospital. She's still there today, but what makes my heart pound is the fact that we haven't ever mentioned her to the boys—never, not once, zero, zilch, fucking nada.

They've known the basics, hell they lived it, and we've always made sure they were informed of the "mistake" when they were born. Every now and then, we'll discuss it to refresh their memory, as I'm sure we'll do many more times so that the twins and Autumn will be well informed, also. But we've never felt compelled to fill them in on the aspects of who their other parents are. There was no reason, they have two parents.

I breathe deeply, doing everything in my power to keep from finding out who that kid is and where he lives. He had no goddamn right, and I'm fucking incensed.

A calming hand grips my cheek and questioning eyes pierce me.

I bring the phone down and hit speaker, pulling Bella tighter into my arms. "You're on speaker. Jay. Can"—I take a deep breath—"can you repeat that for Bella."

"Shit, man, make me the bearer of bad news why don't you," he says with a chuckle, only he can't make it believable. The tension is thick even through the phone. "All right, look, Bella, when that kid called the boys the Looney Twins, he was referring to Maria."

Her whole body stiffens in my arms and her wide eyes jump to mine. "No," she says on a gasp, her hand reaching up to cover her mouth.

"You're sure, Jay? One-hundred percent, fucking positive that's what he's teasing the boys about?" I ask, praying that this is some sick joke on my brother's part.

He lets out an audible sigh. "Positive. Look, Jared told me he's been saying shit for a couple weeks now and that Jake and Seth just had their fill of it today." He pauses and somehow I know there's more coming, so I wait. When he speaks again, it's as if even he's afraid to admit the rest of it. "Uh, well, the thing is, you see—"

"Spit it the fuck out, Jay," I say, pulling Bella even closer, bracing for the worst.

"The boys used their time in the library to Google her. Everything," he finally says, and it is as if all the air in the room disappears, and there's not enough to keep me alive. My chest tightens and my heart pounds.

Bella's small frame shaking on my lap is the only thing keeping me in the present, keeping me seated in my spot, keeping me sane at all. Some fucking idiot parent has talked a bunch of shit in front of their kid, and said kid has taken it upon himself to say things to my kids that I haven't even deemed them ready to know!

"Motherfucker!" I say to no one in particular as I sling my phone across the room. I know Bella probably needs me, but I'm no use to her like this. I slide her beside me and stand, pacing back and forth, tugging my hair and mumbling about how I want to hunt some fuckers down and wring their necks.

Bella steps in front of me, her hands landing on my chest. "Stop, baby, you have to stop." Her hand moves up to cup my cheek. "They need _us_ to fix this for them."

"Damn right they do," I snap, already forming a plan.

"Edward," she says and shakes my chin with her hand. "Not like that. They need us to explain it to them, everything. They need to know the real truth, _our_ truth, not the media based truth. We would've told them eventually, now it'll just have to be sooner."

"Bella, do you really think it's going to be that fucking easy? That we can just explain it all away, explain _her_ all away?" I pull my face from her grasp and glare over her head. "I had hoped they never had to know she even existed."

"That was never possible," Bella says softly, and her words are enough. It _was_ never fucking possible.

I meet her eyes. "How?"

"We talk to them, whether they want to talk to us or not." She shrugs like it's the simplest thing in the world.

And maybe it is.

I bring my hand up and rub my eyes, hoping to quell the headache that's building. When I pull them away, my wife is right there, waiting to comfort me. She steps into my chest and wraps her arms tightly around me.

After standing like that for a few minutes, I notice something strange. "Are you sniffing me?" I ask with a chuckle.

She giggles and pulls back. "It isn't my fault you smell like rosemary." Her smile drops and her face softens. "We'll get past this, Edward."

I nod, even though right now it feels like there's a huge mountain in front of us. I look around and notice it's quiet with only a lamp illuminating the space. "Where are Autumn and the twins?"

"Autumn's already down for the night, and the twins are in their room. You can read to them when we're done," she explains, and my eyes snap to the clock. I didn't realize I'd been zoned-out for so long. "Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be," I reply on a sigh.

She takes my hand, and wherever she goes, I follow. Up the stairs and down the hall, stopping outside Seth's door. With a small knock, she pushes it open. "Seth, we need you to come to Jake's room."

He gets up with a huff and rolls his eyes as he passes us. I take another deep breath, readying myself. We follow him down the hall, and instead of knocking, he just barges right in. "Mom and Dad are behind me." I hear him say.

My hand tenses, but Bella's there to reassure me with a squeeze of her own. With one more, gentle look, she leads us into Jake's room. Both boys are sitting on his bed, watching us with thinly veiled contempt, but they don't know we've come with ammo.

Bella goes to the side that gives her best access to them both and kneels down on the floor. I follow her lead and take a seat beside her.

We're all quiet for a few moments before Bella finally speaks. "We know what happened."

Both boys' eyes widen, but Jake doesn't miss a beat. "I knew Jared would spill," he says to Seth.

"So." Seth shrugs. "It doesn't mean anything that you know."

"Of course it does, sweetie," Bella says, using that mom voice she has down pat. "You do know all you had to do was come to us, right? We'd have answered any questions you asked."

"No!" Seth yells. "You should've told us!"

"Hey, now," I say, speaking for the first time. "I completely understand you're angry, but you do not yell at your mom. _Ever_."

At least he has the decency to look apologetic—for a second anyway. His anger snaps back in place pretty quickly. "Look," I start, figuring I might as well try my luck. "If I had my way, you'd never, ever, know that she even exists, but it's not about me. We would've eventually told you. We have a responsibility as your parents to tell you. We just weren't sure you were ready."

"I'm not ready! I don't want to know about her! She's crazy, and she's my real mom," Seth says, and tears are forming in his eyes, which he buries behind his arm.

"Sweetie," Bella says standing and sitting beside him, wrapping an arm over his shoulder. "She's not your real mom, I am." She looks to Jake. "I'm the only mom you have, either of you."

"And she's not crazy," I add since that idea seems to upset him so much. After all, I assume that's where the nickname came from. "She only pleaded insanity to keep from going to jail. She's a cruel, money hungry bitch, but she's not crazy."

Seth wipes his cheeks and looks to me. "Really?"

"Yes, really. Why does that part bother you so much?

"Because Collin said that if our mom was crazy, then we would be too," he answers, with a sneer.

"Son, she's not crazy, but even if she was, you've been raised with an awesome Mama, there's no way you'd be like Maria." I'm sure I'm stretching the truth here a little, but in this instance, I think it's okay. I file Collin's name away for future use and scoot up on the bed beside my family. "Do you have any more questions?"

It's Jake who speaks up. "Is Maria my mom or Seth's?"

I wondered why Seth was the upset one in this scenario, but as usual, I bet he's trying to look after Jake, he always has. Or maybe he doesn't even realize.

"As I said before, she's neither," Bella reiterates. "But, she did carry you in her tummy"—she points to Jake—"and she cared for you until you were six months old." She finishes by brushing her hand down Seth's cheek. "But after that, she was never a part of your lives."

"Will you tell us what happened?" Seth asks, his face cleared of the previous worry and now only filled with curiosity.

"Of course we will," Bella says as she brushes a curl off his forehead.

Between the two of us, we reiterate what we've always told them about the switch and how that was resolved, but this time, we make sure to explain as much as possible about the time Maria attempted to reenter our lives. We want to be detailed, but we also want them to understand that none of her actions have any bearing on them.

I blow out a deep breath when it's all out there, relief settling inside almost immediately. It's fucking done, and my boys seem to be okay. A little contemplative at the moment, but now they know the whole story, and they understand it.

After a few minutes of silence, Jake asks, "When she gets out will she come here again?"

My teeth clench at the thought, but we need to be realistic here. Of course, she's never supposed to contact us, but supposed to and does isn't always the same. I can't fill them with false assurances.

"Look, dudes," I start, making sure to choose my words carefully. "She's never supposed to come near our family again. If she does, though, she'll pay the price. We won't ever let her get near you guys. _Ever_."

"But," Bella speaks up as she gives me a weird look. "When you're older, you may decide that you want to talk to her to get your own answers. And that's a part of being grown; making decisions for yourself."

My eyes narrow at her for a second as she speaks, and when she stops, I turn back to the boys. "Now your mama is just talking crazy." I roll my eyes to make light of my comment, but Bella's words are hard to hear, even harder to imagine. "But seriously, dudes, I hope we can be there for you in a way that makes you never feel the need for that. We'll also understand if you do and be there for you if the time comes."

Seth and Jake both are already shaking their heads in unison. "I never wanna see her," Seth spouts, his nose wrinkled in distaste.

"Me either," Jake agrees. "She's mean."

I chuckle at his cute self for being so diplomatic. "Yeah, son, she's _very_ mean, but you know what?" I point to Bella. "You have a mama, the best mama in the world right here." I reach over and grab her hand as I gather them up in my other arm.

Together, in our little bundle of four, we have a family moment. And now that the hard part's over, and my boys understand, all the stress from earlier is alleviated. But there's one more matter to get straight.

"So this Collin kid, what's the deal?" I ask, pulling back and lifting a brow.

Seth shrugs. "He's just been saying stuff at practice."

"Does he go to your school?" Bella asks, her tone sharper than it has been. Mama bear is alive and fucking well.

The boys shake their heads. "No, just soccer."

"Hmph," is her intelligent reply, lifting a brow in my direction as if to say, _"You better handle this."_

I smirk at her because she's too cute with her ire. "I'll call the coach tomorrow, and if that doesn't work, I'll set up a meeting with his parents." The latter idea already sounds like something I might enjoy.

"We can handle him, Dad," Seth assures me.

I shake my head sadly. "Not the way you did today."

"But he started it!" Jake exclaims, trying to justify their actions.

"I understand that, son. And I don't want you to think that you aren't allowed to defend yourselves, _but_ you only use physical violence as a last resort. And I don't think today was a last resort since you hadn't even come to us for the truth yet." I lift a brow so they understand exactly what I'm getting at here.

Seth huffs. "I guess."

I ruffle his hair and try to lighten the conversation a little. "Hey, I get it," I say with an easy chuckle before getting serious again, "but I also don't want my boys going around beating people up for saying a bunch of crap. Sometimes, the ones who do stuff like that have something bad going on in their life, and they don't know how to deal with it, so they project it onto other people."

When I finish, both boys are looking at me with their heads tilted a little, and Bella actually reaches her hand over and places it across my forehead. "Who are you and what have you done with Edward?" she asks in a teasing manner.

The boys crack up, and I can't help it, I join them. She is right to an extent. After all the things that went through my head earlier, here I am preaching wisdom and shit.

I rein in my laughter and hold up my hands. "All right, maybe that was your mama's intelligence rubbing off on me, but it's true. Maybe this Collin kid has problems at home or at school, so he comes to the soccer field and does mean things trying to make himself feel better." I shrug. "Why don't you try being his friend instead of letting him get to you?"

Seth smacks his hand against his forehead. "Dad, you have no idea how these things work."

"Sure I don't, buddy. I was never a kid," I snark, laughing through my nose. "Look, I'm not saying you have to be his friend, but I am saying you need to come to an understanding."

"Well, now that we know what happened, his words won't bother us so much," Jake says with a decisive nod.

Bella ruffles his hair. "Good. But we expect you to keep us informed. If he's bullying you, we want to know. Got it?"

"Yes, ma'am," they reply in unison.

I blow out a gust of air. "So, everything's okay now? All your questions answered?" I look between them, seeing much better demeanors than earlier.

Seth looks to Jake before turning back to me. "Sure, Dad. We're good."

I smile wide, so glad something I've always dreaded is behind us, and it looks like everything is going to be okay. I stand and wait while Bella covers them in kisses before grabbing her hand and pulling her up beside me.

"Night, dudes." I hold out my fist for a couple of bumps.

They oblige, and I start leading Bella to the door. Just as we're going to exit, Seth's voice stops me in my tracks. "Hey, Dad."

I turn around to face them. "Yeah?"

"Will you read to us?" Jake asks all shy looking and shit.

My face goes from stunned to fucking joyous in seconds. "Hell, yeah!" I do a fist pump, then grab my stomach as Bella elbows me, even though she's smiling too.

"Go," she says and gives me a little shove. "I'll read to the twins tonight."

I can't wipe the smile off my face, even as I lean in for a quick kiss. "Thank you, baby." Then in a whisper, I say, "Wait up for me?"

She gives me a nod and a sexy smirk. "Go."

And I do.

I read to my oldest boys for the first time in two years.

* * *

 **There you have it! It was superrrrr hard to get back in these guys' head, so I hope I did a good job and chose something you were interested in reading. Replies may be slow, but I'll get to them when I can.**

 **Merry Christmas to those who celebrate, and Happy Holidays to everyone else. I hope your week is filled with family and love.**

 **See you Monday for TB :)**


	49. Exciting News and Sneak peek

Good morning, everyone!

I have exciting news in case you've missed it. I've spent the past six months or so working on this fic to prepare it for the OF world. There's no need to worry or go on a downloading spree because this version will remain right here. I do not intend to pull it from fanfiction.

It's my hope that the new story I've created will still have everything you loved from the original but also feel brand new. This is not a "change names and publish" version. I reworked, rearranged, added characters, scenes, chapters, and hopefully, emotion and depth to this story.

It has been broken into 3 books (due to the large word count) and is being sold as the Sharp Turn Saga. Book one—Sharp Left Turn went on pre-order last week for 99 cents. Each book will sell during pre-order for the same price (my way for the fandom to grab a copy at minimum cost), and each book will release with only 30ish days separating them.

Let me give you the links to keep up if you're interested, and I'll post a few excerpts below.

You can find Sharp Left Turn by Faye Byrd easily on Amazon by Googling the phrase itself. The eBook comes out on Nov. 20, but the print version is available now.

If you'd prefer another retailer, you can go to this page for those links:

books dot pronoun dot com (slash) sharp-left-turn

I have a blog where I share things if you're interested in following:

fayebyrdfiction dot blogspot dot com

 ******** One other thing, and I'll share some "teasers." If there is anyone who really wants to read and can't afford to buy, please, PM me and I can offer a review copy. Those are in exchange for an honest review.

* * *

 **Meet Easton Wilder and Trystan Ashby**

 **Chapter 1**

A knock interrupts our playful moment. I look up. "Maddox." I smile to hide my confusion. "Did we have an appointment?"

He holds up a white paper bag. "I was just bringing lunch, if that's okay."

I motion to Tasha, who's just finished grabbing our trash. "I'm sorry. Tasha and I were just finishing up."

"Oh," he says, his shoulders slumping. "Do you mind if I sit for a minute?"

Tasha deposits the trash into the bin and turns to exit my office. "Hi, Maddox," she says as she passes him before sending me a lifted brow over his shoulder.

 **Chapter 4**

Weston, who's always been overly emotional, basically snatches me from David's grasp so he can offer his own hug. His voice is on the verge of tears as he speaks. "Cam looks so heartbreaking lying in there. Ryder and I came as soon as we heard." He pulls away and holds me at arms-length. "What can we do to help?"

"Actually, there is something," I say, hooking my arm around his side and turning us to face the rest of the group. "All of you. If you could follow me inside, I'll ask David to explain."

As we enter Cam's room, two more faces greet me. Ryder, who I expected, but the other is a welcome surprise. Amelia is perched on the edge of Cam's bed, brushing her fingers through his hair. She gets up and rushes toward me with wet cheeks, while Weston does practically the same to Ryder.

 **Chapter 6 (Trystan)**

I chuckle as I move from the wall and take the clipboard from Brandon's hand, looking over the list. My eyes narrow when they land on a certain ingredient. "What the fuck is this?" I snap, turning my glare to Jim. "I didn't order _any_ ingredients from China."

Jim throws up his hands. "As I told him, I'm just the delivery guy."

"Is that so?" I ask, shoving the clipboard back to Brandon and stepping closer to Jim. "Well deliver this whole order back where it came from. Inform the suppliers that I'll find a company who can meet my needs."

"But, sir—"

"Save it," Brandon barks. "You heard him. Load it all back on the truck."

 **Chapter 9**

Approaching her, I leave only centimeters between our bodies. "Is this what you really want, Easton? You're sure about this?" I ask softly.

She doesn't shrink back but looks at me with fierce determination. "I'm willing to do whatever it takes."

I push even closer still, backing her into the wall. My hands find her hips and my lips lower to her neck. They skim up―goosebumps rise as a whimper escapes. I meet her eyes. "Whatever it takes," I agree, returning my lips to her neck.

"No, no, this isn't what I meant." Her mouth protests, but her body complies. She cranes, inviting me closer.

"Isn't it?" I whisper, allowing my tongue to leave a trail of fire along her already heated skin. My knee slides between her legs as my hands start their journey up her luscious curves, pulling her even closer.

No space left between us.

"I … I …" she breathes out, unable to communicate more.

"Shhh, Easton, I've got you," I soothe, all the while seducing her with my body.

 **Chapter 11**

Weston's eyes widen slightly, and it only takes a moment before I feel his presence behind me. Trystan's hand launches into the empty space. "Hi. I'm Trystan Ashby, and you are?"

"Oh, my," Weston says, his hand landing on his chest. I'd laugh if my nerves weren't already so frayed. Guess it runs in the family.

Ryder takes Trystan's hand, shaking his head at Weston. "Don't mind him. The name's Ryder Logan, Easy's business partner, and this here's her Irish Twin, Weston Wilder."

Weston gasps and pushes Ryder's hand aside so he can latch onto Trystan. "I can introduce myself." Pumping like mad, he says, "I'm Weston. And it sure is a pleasure meeting you."

Trystan chuckles, and it's like the sun just appeared over the horizon. Weston's eyes light up. "Easy," he says, still holding Trystan's hand. "Where have you been hiding this hunk of man?"

 **Chapter 14**

" _He_ tried to kiss _me_ , thank you very much," I say, jabbing myself in the chest with my pointer finger. "I stopped it."

She sits back and crosses her arms. Her shrewd eyes are boring into me so seriously that I feel as if she might reach in and take the information she wants. "How far did it go exactly?" she asks, her voice firm.

I shrug one shoulder, making it seem as if it isn't a big deal. "Our lips barely touched."

"And?" Her eyes haven't moved, and she even adds a brow lift for good measure.

"And it was freaking hot." I smirk and lift my chin, daring her to chastise me.

Her dark brown eyes go from serious to nosy-excited in the blink of an eye, and she almost shivers as she leans back forward. "Tell me!" she demands. "I knew there was more."

Just as I open my mouth, though, a throat clears in the doorway. Amelia and I both jump and snap our heads toward the intruder. Intruders. Trystan and Cooper have returned, and judging by the smirk Trystan's sporting, I can't be sure he didn't overhear us.

* * *

I hope I've piqued your interest! Thanks so much for all the love you've given this story!


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